Our Love Made Mistakes
by Conejo-sama
Summary: Mai's dreams were always helpful. But one night, a ghost starts haunting her dreams after Mai provokes Naru, changing their lives forever. Now Mai has to change her relationship with Naru in order to save their lives. Will they pull through? NaruMai
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_...Where am I? It's so dark. Am I dreaming again? I look around my new environment. The spirits that are usually in my dreams are no where to be seen. Wait, if I'm dreaming, that must mean Naru's here, somewhere. I walk around to look for him. "Naru? Are you here, Naru?"_

_Everything is silent until I hear, "Mai?" I turn around to see a shadow. The shadow gets closer until I see who it really is._

_"Oh, Naru." I run over to him and stop when we are face-to-face. Something is different about him. He doesn't have the same smile he always has when he's in my dreams. Naru actually looks... confused._

_"Where are we?" I almost laugh. Naru asked a question in my dreams. He always knows what to do or where to go in my dreams and I ask the questions. But this Naru isn't acting like Dream Naru. "Mai, where are we?" he asks again, only more frustrated._

_I giggle. "What do you mean? We're in my dream." His face is still befuddled. "At least I think it's a dream..."_

_"__**Oh, it is a dream, my dear**__," I'm frozen in place. "__**In fact, it may be the best dream you will ever have!**__" That voice sounds feminine. I hope Naru didn't say that. But Naru is just as confused as I am. He frantically looks around, searching for this mysterious person. "__**Try if you can, but you will never find me.**__" Suddenly, the ground starts to shake hard enough for me to fall, but Naru is quick enough to catch me._

_"What's happening?" I ask him, afraid._

_"Run!" he yells. It wasn't a typical Naru response, but I comply with his demand. He grabs my hand and we run. We don't know where we're going, but I'm hoping it's somewhere far away from that strange voice. But no matter how hard we try, the voice sounds even closer to our ears._

_"__**Try to run but I will always find you.**__"_

_Naru stops and I accidentally bump into him._

_"Why'd you stop?" He doesn't answer. He looks at the ground. I look where he gazes and see the edge of a cliff. "We need to go back."_

_"Mai, stop!" As I turn, I see that the path we've just come from is gone and we're stuck on our own little plateau. I'm too slow to realize and almost walk off the edge. Naru grabs the scruff of my shirt just in time and puts his arms around me securely._

_"Thanks Naru." Naru doesn't release his grip. "I'm fine now. You can let go, Naru." He doesn't listen. I wonder what's wrong with him. I push him off and step back a bit but not near the edge. "What's wrong with you, Naru?" As I look at him, I begin to feel uncomfortable. His face looks so content that it almost scares me. "Naru?"_

_"**I'm going to make all your dreams come true...**" The voice repeats the same thing over and over._

_What is she taking about? Does it have to do with Naru?_

_"What'd you do to Naru?" The voice begins to laugh and the laughter echoes on and on until it slowly fades away._

_Silence. A weird feeling grows in my chest as the silence engulfs the void space. Before I realize it, Naru pins me to the ground. "W-w-what are you doing?" I look at Naru. The expression on his face makes me feel insecure. It has the look of hunger. He smiles at me seductively. "N-Naru..."_

_"I'm sorry, Mai. I can't help it." He lowers his head down until I'm able to feel the heat of his breath. "I... need... you..." His hands slowly reach down and pull my skirt off. Tears begin to stream down my eyes. I scream when I suddenly feel pain in my lower abdomen. Then everything goes black..._


	2. Insanity

**Ch. 1 Insanity**

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" I woke up in a cold sweat. That was the strangest dream I ever had. Me and Naru... "No! No! No! It was just a dream." I shook my head to try to forget. I never thought I would actually think, let alone _dream _about stuff like that. Me and Naru weren't even on friendly terms. Yet I still had these girly feelings. And who was saying those things about making my dreams come true?

I groaned and rubbed my head. "Just forget about this, Mai," I said to myself. "Just get ready for school and don't think about it."

I got up from the couch... wait, I was sleeping on the couch? Oh yeah, I had forgotten that I just came from the hospital; Naru was still there because of his weakened condition.

We just solved a case in Kyoto and it was the longest, most exhausting one we had. From those died spirits attacking us to Naru using his paranormal powers to save us and solving the case; it was like that whole experience was also a dream. He already figured everything out and he was unconscious for most of the action. The excitement was so exhausting, as soon as I got home from the hospital, I passed out on the couch.

I looked at the clock. "8:51! I'm gonna be late for school!" I rushed into my room to get changed, and as soon as I was ready, I ran out the door.

* * *

I couldn't stop thinking about that dream I had last night. I was getting dizzy just thinking about it. Usually, my dreams meant something useful about the next case, but this was just wrong!

_AH! Stupid brain! You're not suppose to think about those things! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!_

"Stop it, Mai! You're going to give yourself a migraine." I looked up and saw my two best friends Keiko and Michiru, with concerned looks on their faces. I realized I was banging my head against the wall when the headache came.

"Ow."

"You okay? You're acting kind of weird." Keiko asked worried.

"Yeah. I'm just... extremely tired. I didn't get any sleep last night because of the last case. I just…" I nearly passed out and fell before Keiko and Michiru grabbed my shoulders to steady me.

"Kazuya must be running you ragged," Michiru said.

"Yeah, what's he paying you?" Keiko inquired.

"Enough for me to keep my apartment," I said. "Don't worry, I'll be fine for the day."

"Well, since you're tired, I could buy you coffee," Michiru offered, "or tea."

"You drink tea in the mornings?" Keiko asked, forgetting that I was in pain.

"No, it doesn't really work on me."

They got carried away with the conversation and left me there, dizzy. When I got my composure back, I tried to catch up with them. Maybe school would get my mind off that dream.

* * *

That apparently didn't work. Class was such a blur. Every time I tried to pay attention, something reminded me about that stupid dream! Every time I looked in a book, every time I looked at a teacher, I saw _his_ face. Even looking outside didn't help. The sky reminded me of his blue eyes. Those deep, blues eyes that mesmerized me as he stared at me so intently.

It wasn't until the end of the day when I went totally insane. I was asleep on my desk, and it was only the first class. I didn't care if people stared, which I was sure they were. Even the teacher was looking at me curiously. "Is something wrong Mai?" I looked up and saw most of classmates focusing on me. Other students were either asleep from boredom, or just didn't care about what I was doing.

"Not really. Just a headache."

He looked at me doubtfully. "Why don't you go to the nurse's office."

"Hai!" He didn't need to tell me twice. I swiftly walked out of the classroom, then quickened my pace when I was in the hallway, which made my head feel worse. Maybe I would take Michiru's advice and start drinking coffee.

* * *

"You're late." Oh no. Naru got discharged out of the hospital early. Same typical Naru. No "Hey" or "How are you?" He didn't even look up from his desk. I was late because I was a little dizzy when I went to the nurse's office, so it took me a long time walk here all the way from school. The nurse gave me some aspirin to help bring down the dizziness.

"Yeah, I know. I'll get your tea." I was in no mood to deal with Naru's arrogant ways of communicating. As long as I didn't have to look at his face, I wouldn't go bananas. I would have to face him soon, like when I give him his tea. Maybe looking at his stoic face would help me remember what a cold-hearted narcissist Naru was and help me turn sane again.

The Naru in that dream was no different from Reality Naru. He didn't have that glowing smile or that blissful look on his face. It was as if the real Naru was pulled into my dreams. If someone was pulling a prank on me, it wasn't funny.

I was so nervous to face Naru, my arms were shaking, causing the tea on the tray to spill. Naru would have to use a straw at this rate. As I was walking, my anxiety got the better of me when I was startled by Lin-san, making me _eep!_ and I dropped the tray, tea spilling everywhere.

"Are you okay, Taniyama-san?" he asked.

"Uh-huh. Just a little dizzy." I kneeled down to clean up the mess I made, but a hand grabbed my wrist to stop me.

"Maybe you should sit down Mai. I'll bring Naru his tea." That was the first nice thing Lin-san had ever done for me. I thought he hated me because of the whole camera incident and me being Japanese. I would always usually mess up in front of him. I would try to look as professional as I could, yet he always looked annoyed. I guess since he was part of the SPR team, he was also part of the family.

My vision was still lopsided, so I got myself a cup of water and swallowed the aspirin. I sat on the couch and watched Lin-san prepare Naru's tea. Then Lin-san put a cup on the coffee table. "Drink this. It'll make you feel better."

"T-thank you, Lin-san." Lin-san nodded and walked off to give Naru his tea. I wondered what would happen if Naru didn't have tea for at least an hour.

As soon as Lin-san closed the door to his office, Naru snapped at me. "If you're not going to be of any help, Mai, you might as well leave. It's not your job to tell Lin to make my tea for you."

"Shut up Naru! I'm not in the mood to deal with you!"

_Oh crap! Did I say that?_

I suddenly heard what sounded like stomping. A frustrated Naru faced me. I've never seen Naru with so much anger on his face.

"What did you say to me?"

"Uh..." _Why did I say that? Oh man, I've gone mad! And now Naru's going to kick my ass!_

"If you have nothing else to say, why don't you make yourself productive and do some paperwork, unless you want to smart mouth some more," Naru said as he turned to go back to his office.

"Can't I just sit here? I have a massive headache." I could see Naru lost his patience with me and wasn't ready to show me any mercy.

He didn't turn to face me as he said, "I think it would be in your best interest to leave, Mai, before I do something that I will regret."

"Fine." I got up and grabbed my stuff. I didn't think I could take this anymore. Someone opened the door before I could reach the knob.

"Oh, hello Mai," Masako greeted me. I didn't want to confront her, knowing her malicious aura would spread as soon as she entered the room, claiming her territory. Right now, all I wanted to do was punch something.

"Hey Masako! Bye Masako!" I said promptly and left before I had the urge to punch her in the gut. I ran as fast as I could to my apartment so that my vertigo wouldn't get the best of me.

_What's wrong with me?_


	3. Solving A Mystery

**Ch. 2 Solving a Mystery**

I knew I couldn't have gone crazy. Naru and I had our little spats every once and a while, but I never let my temper go loose like that. Well, not after I provoked him. I told Naru to shut up! That was just asking him to fire me. I didn't know what came over me. But telling Naru off like that gave me a feeling of courage. Naru was always making fun of my intellect. Now, I finally gave Naru what he deserved.

_Mai: 1 Naru: infinite _:(

But Naru will always be in the lead.

* * *

~ _Dream Mode_~

_"Mai?" I recognized that soft voice. I slowly opened my eyes to see that beautiful smile and glowing face. Dream Naru was back! I tried sitting up, but Naru made me stay down. "You're sick."_

_"Sort of. I've been getting dizzy lately. Why do you ask?"_

_He didn't answer. Naru stood up and looked up. "Do you know why?"_

"_No but…" _

_He suddenly stood up and began to talk to…. someone. Now I was confused. I knew why he would be concerned about my sudden illness, but who was he talking to? Suddenly I couldn't even hear him talk anymore, but his lips were still moving. I tried calling him, but I didn't hear anything. I was sure my lips were moving. I tried again. Still nothing. _

_Naru's body started to fade away. That was not what I wanted. Naru you couldn't leave yet! I still had questions! But it was too late. Everything was getting dark. Then blackness._

~ _Dream End_ ~

-X-

The rest of the week went on like it did yesterday (except for me and Naru arguing). My dizziness didn't stop, even when I took the aspirin. My wooziness got to the point when I felt like barfing, which I did. Every morning I would have to rush to the bathroom, mouthwash and so forth. I even started passing out during class. On Wednesday, they finally made me go home early until I got better, so I had to call the SPR office to inform my tardiness for the rest of the week.

I usually never got sick. I was beginning to think it was a cold or something of the sorts. I checked myself for symptoms of a cold, but everything was fine.

_Maybe it's just a 24-hour flu thing,_ I thought._ I'll go to a doctor in case it gets worse._

I pondered back to the dream I had a few days ago. It was a coincidence that Dream Naru knew I would get sick. Something was happening and I had to know what. But this time, I was on my own.

The next week, I started getting better.

The next day, I decided to leave for school early. I no longer felt sick. The day already felt perfect. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. I had all the cherry blossoms to myself again. It reminded me of the day the camera incident happened. But today would go better.

I was one of the few students who arrived to school early. The teacher wasn't even there. When Michiru and Keiko saw me, they immediately ran up to me, hugging me to death.

"Wow, you look better," Keiko commented.

"I feel better, too."

"Do you think you can manage staying awake during class?" Michiru asked concerned. I nodded and smiled to reassure that I was fine.

As soon as the teacher arrived, he made sure everybody was accounted for before beginning class. The rest of the day went on like a regular school day. No dizziness, no motion sickness. I didn't even have one thought of _him_ during school. And before I knew it, school was over.

"Since you're feeling better, want to come over and watch a movie with us?" Michiru asked. "_He_ won't be there this time." I knew she was talking about her boyfriend.

It had been a while since I spent some time with my friends. Between the SPR business and school work, I had a lot on my plate. There hadn't been any clients coming to the office to complain about their ghost problems in a while, so maybe I could cut some hours at the office to be with my friends (but I really doubted Naru would do it because of my absence last week). It couldn't hurt.

"I would have to ask Naru if I could leave early, but okay."

"Yay! See you tonight!" they both said in unison.

_You're making a mistake, Mai._

I looked around to see who said that. No one else was in the room. I shrugged it off and left.

* * *

Getting Naru to let me leave the office early for one day would be a challenge. I hadn't said a word to him ever since I yelled at him a few days ago. When I called in sick, I called Lin-san's number instead of Naru's because I was afraid of what he would say. I even asked Lin-san to tell Naru that I was deeply sorry. Anything could happen if you upset Naru.

As I was preparing Naru's tea, someone entered the room. "Haven't seen you in a while, Mai."

"Hey, Bou-san!"

"I heard you got sick. You look fine, but you're still a little pale," Bou-san said as he ruffled my hair. "I don't want to have to drag you to the hospital."

"I'm fine, Bou-san, honest," I reassured him as I swatted his hand away.

"It'd be best not to distract Mai, Takigawa-san." Naru interrupted our little fight, his arms crossed. I could tell he was still mad at me. "Now, what is your purpose for coming to the office today?"

"I just wanted to ask you to investigate something."

Bou-san and Naru went into the office and I followed with the tray in my hands. As Naru sat down I placed the tea on his desk.

He took a long sip before saying, "What is it you want us to investigate?"

"One of the members in my band just moved into this house with his family," Bou-san started. "He thinks some of his family members are possessed because they keep setting fires in the house. He and his wife want to come over and give you more details, if you don't mind."

"Have them come tomorrow."

_Great_, I thought. _So much for asking Naru to cut my hours_. I was going to have to start packing my things for this case soon.

"Alright. See you tomorrow, Mai," Bou-san said as he was leaving.

I still stood there, befuddled in Naru's office. We wouldn't have to leave for this case until tomorrow, so asking Naru if I could leave work early so I could go over Michiru's house wouldn't hurt, right?

"You want something, Mai?" I realized was still standing in his office.

"Um, yeah. I was wondering if I could-" I felt faint and almost fell over but quickly caught myself before Naru noticed. My dizziness was back.

"What is it?" Naru inquired again.

"I was wondering if... I… could..." My vision got blurry and I felt sick. My body felt like it was falling over. I saw Naru getting up from his desk, running towards me. Then everything went black.

-X-

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_"Mai?" Ah... My head was killing me. "I need you to wake up Mai." I listened to the voice and opened my eyes. There, as usual, was Naru._

_"Hey, Naru," I said drowsily._

_"Listen, Mai. Don't leave my side. It's for your own sake." Dream Naru's eyes looked serious and he wasn't smiling. Something was wrong._

_"I need to know something." Before I had a chance to ask him my question, Naru stood and left. "No, Naru. Come back..."_

~ _Dream End_ ~

-X-

I slightly opened my eyes to a blinding light. I put my hands over my eyes to help dim the light. When my vision improved, I saw that I was in a very white room. I sat up and then noticed I was in a bed. I was no longer wearing my school uniform, either. I was wearing a hospital gown. I felt something on my arm; it was an IV. Naru must've had brought me to the hospital when I fainted.

"You're awake," a voice said next to me.

"Naru?" My head started to hurt again, so I put my hand over my forehead. Naru got up and went on the other side of the bed. He pushed the red button that would contact a doctor. "I'm fine, Naru. You didn't need to call a doctor."

"I was informed to call a doctor as soon as you woke up." I didn't know what to say. I honestly thought Naru would be gone by now. I guess my wellbeing was more important than paperwork.

After a few silent minutes, a doctor came in. "Hello, I'm Yoshida Kimi and I'll be your doctor." Kimi held a lovely smile. She walked by bed and grabbed a clipboard. "Sir, if you don't mind, I need you to leave so I can examine my patient." Naru left without question. "Your name is Taniyama Mai, right?" I nodded. "Your friend told me that you fainted. Is anything else wrong?"

I told her all my symptoms and she wrote them all on the clipboard. She looked over what she wrote, and was I sure she already clarified what was wrong with me. "Okay then, I'll need a blood sample." She rubbed her fingers around my right arm then punctured my skin with a needle. She took the needle out and said, "I'll be right back." As soon as she left, someone else rushed in.

"Mai, are you okay?" Bou-san asked, perturbed. He came rushing towards my bed. "Did she tell you if anything was wrong?"

"No. We probably won't know until she comes back. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I'm hurt, Mai. It sounds like you don't want me here." He wiped an invisible tear and I sweat dropped at his foolishness. "I saw Naru and Lin run by as I was leaving. I followed after them as soon as I saw you unconscious in Naru's arms."

"So Naru and Lin-san are still out there?"

"Yep. They won't leave until they know you're okay, and neither will I." Bou-san sat on the bed next to me then put an arm around my shoulder. "We're family now, Mai. I will always be there for you, no matter what." Bou-san was right. Ever since I started working at SPR, we became family, so I shouldn't have been surprised when Bou-san would become overprotective of me, like an older brother.

After a few more minutes, Dr. Yoshida came back. She narrowed her eyes at Bou-san. "Is this anxious man your father?" Bou-san does kind of look like he could be my father, even though I don't actually remembered what my father looks like. Before I could correct her mistake, Bou-san answered for me.

"Yes, I am." I threw my dagger eyes at him, but he ignored me.

"Well sir, I need you to leave."

"I'm not going anywhere." I could tell Dr. Yoshida didn't like Bou-san. He must've had done something to piss her off. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours.

"Maybe you should leave, Bou- Dad," I interrupted their staring contest. Bou-san looked at me with doubt. "I'll be fine." I nodded my head in reassurance then he left, hesitantly.

"Finally," Dr. Yoshida said. "That guy wouldn't leave me alone. He kept asking me too many questions. He must be worried sick about you." I honestly didn't care about what she thought about Bou-san at the moment. All I wanted to do was leave the hospital. Hospitals scared me ever since my mom died. Seeing her in that hospital bed, her face gaunt and sickly pale: the thought almost made me sick. I wondered if the same thing was happening to me. I'd do anything to leave ASAP. "Okay, Mai, I need you to take one more test, and then you can go."

_Finally!_

Dr. Yoshida pulled a package out of her coat pocket. She opened it and took out something small and skinny. In her hand, I saw the most terrifying medical item in all of teenage history: a pregnancy test.


	4. Coping

**Ch. 3 Coping**

"A pregnancy test?"

"Yes. The way you described your condition were some of the symptoms of a pregnancy. Plus the results of your blood test showed that you missed your period." I knew something was wrong. I was supposed to have my period on the day I had that dream.

Oh no. _That_ dream.

"I just need you to take this test to reassure the results. If it's positive, I'll give you some prescriptions that will help you..."

I took the box and went into the bathroom before she could continue. I peed on the tip and waited while thinking about how I was going to deal with this dilemma, if I was pregnant. What would I do? How would I tell the others? And what about Naru? How would I tell him or anyone the baby was... _his_. Maybe I didn't have to. But I didn't know what to do. I was so scared! If I was pregnant, I couldn't do this alone. I would have to tell at least one person. Once the others figured out that I would stop going with them on cases, I would be the next investigation!

I read the back of the box. One blue dot meant it was positive. One pink dot meant it was negative. I was urging for a pink dot to appear. I looked at the pregnancy test. One blue dot. It was official:

I was pregnant.

* * *

"You're _anemic_?"

"Yep." I didn't know what else to say. I couldn't tell them the truth. Yet. "Yeah, um, you don't have to worry about it too much. I'm fine."

Their reactions weren't a surprise to me. Naru had his thinking face, Lin was… Lin, and Bou-san was obviously _not_ convinced. "Why did they keep you for so long?" he asked.

"Dr. Yoshida wanted to give me the prescription for the vitamins I need." That was another lie. She gave me the prescription for the medicine that would help with my morning sickness.

"Then why did they take your blood?"

"To see why I was so nutritionally deprived..." It sounded more like a question than a statement, but it kept them oblivious. But Naru still had that gleam in his eyes.

"If you actually used that brain of yours, then you wouldn't even be here," he suddenly said.

_There he goes, running his big, arrogant mouth again_, I thought. _Why does he have to make my life more miserable?_

I already had to deal with my inconvenient predicament, and he was making things worse for me. "You know what Naru, I have had a rough day today, and I am so sick and tired of the crap that comes out of that big, fat, egotistic mouth of yours! So I would appreciate it if you'd just shut the hell up!"

Naru didn't respond. He didn't even look angry. He just stared at me, then walked out of the hospital. Lin followed in suit. He looked really disappointed with me. So much for gaining his respect. Then Bou-san walked over to me and put his hands on my shoulders. He looked madder than ever.

"What on earth were you thinking, Mai! Why did you do something that stupid!" I bent my head down. I was afraid to admit it, but Bou-san was right. I made a stupid mistake. But I couldn't help it. I was pregnant and upset and confused. Thinking about my mistake just made me even more upset. I leaned over and cried in Bou-san's chest. I needed to tell somebody. At least one person, and Bou-san was the only one I could tell at the moment. I confessed. I told him everything, from that dream, up to the reason for being in this hospital. "That bastard!"

"Bou-san, please don't get mad. He probably didn't even know what he was doing. He probably thought it was a silly dream, too. At least, that's what I thought it was… Please, don't get upset."

Bou-san took a deep breath then sighed. "How can I _not_ get upset, Mai? What he did to you is just so unforgivable and... _frustrating_." He seethed the word with such malice, it made me wince.

"I know," I whimpered.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I won't get an abortion, but how can I afford keeping a baby?"

"I don't know, kiddo. But I'm going to do everything I can to help you." He held me close.

"Thanks, Bou-san." I returned the embrace.

"You also have the rest of SPR."

"I know, but how am I going to tell them?"

"You'll figure out a way. And don't be afraid to tell _everyone_." I knew what he meant. Masako would surely kill me if I told her. Ayako would surely kill Naru if I told her, too. John was the only who wouldn't result to violence. I suddenly considered going to confession, but that wouldn't have made things any simpler.

"Don't worry, I'll tell them soon."

* * *

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_Everything was dark, but vaguely luminous. I must've be dreaming. And Naru would most likely appear, too. He was there like I predicted._

"_Naru, what the hell is going on? You won't tell me anything!"_

_"There's nothing more I need to tell you. Just stay by me, and everything will be alright."_

_"You say that, but you won't elaborate. Why should I be by your side if you won't give me the lowdown?"_

_"... It's after the baby..."_

_I froze for a few seconds. "What's after the baby?"_

_Naru started to disappear. "Naru? Naru!"_

~ _Dream End_ ~

-X-

"NARU!" Dammit! Why did he always have to disappear when I needed him the most? Why was he hiding everything from me? Why couldn't he just tell me what was going on?

_... It's after the baby..._

I rubbed my small stomach. In a few months, my figure would be ruined. I was a mother-to-be now. And I was going to do everything in my power to care and protect this baby, and nothing was going to stand in my way. Not even whatever "it" was.

I looked at the calendar. July. My birthday was just around the corner. Summer vacation was also coming up soon. And... HOLY CRAP. I had school today!

* * *

"Are you okay Mai?" Michiru asked.

She, Keiko, and I were currently in the bathroom, but I was the only one in a stall. School was normal, but I left the classroom a couple of times because of my morning sickness. Then when lunch came around, the strong scents of my classmates' lunches almost made me puke in the classroom. Michiru and Keiko followed me when I ran to the bathroom, leading up to now: me emptying what I had left in my stomach and my friends worrying outside my stall.

"Mai, I think you need to see the nurse," Michiru said.

"I-I'm perfectly fine."

"You had to leave class to throw up five times already!" Keiko stated.

"It was only four times."

"No more excuses, Mai. We're taking you to the nurse."

"Wait...!" It was too late. Michiru and Keiko dragged me all the way to the nurse's office, and I couldn't do anything to stop them.

Of course I had to go home after that. The nurse didn't do much, though. She just did a little examination and said something about watching what I eat. Some nurse she was. She didn't even check me thoroughly. It was a good thing she didn't. If she found out that I was pregnant, she would've told the principle, and who knew what the board of directors would do? They would probably cut my funding, and I wouldn't be able to go to that school anymore. My job couldn't support me forever, especially with the amount of pay Naru was giving me now.

But I wasn't going to let that bring me down. It wasn't feasible that I would get another job, but I needed to do my best to care for this baby and I was going to do everything in my power to find out what "it" was and prevent "it" from getting near my baby.

I felt a little dizzy, so I laid down. I put both hands over my stomach and sighed.

_Is this how you felt before you had me, Mom? I don't think I can cope with this the way you did._


	5. Fear

**Ch. 4 Fear**

"YAY! SCHOOL'S OUT!" Students cheered and teachers were overjoyed when the final bell rang. I should've been excited too, but this pregnancy was making me drowsier than ever. I was still asleep on the desk, and then I felt someone's hand shook me awake.

"Mai?" a familiar voice said. "Come on, wake up!"

I slowly lifted my head with my eyes still closed. "You look like a mess!" I heard Keiko's voice shriek.

"No kidding," I said. "I feel like a pile of crap." I got up from the desk, putting a hand on the desk to support my body.

"Lighten up Mai! School is over! We can have some fun this summer. Maybe catch a movie from when you missed out last time..." Michiru just couldn't let that go. I didn't tell Michiru and Keiko about the hospital incident, but I didn't explain why I couldn't come over Michiro's house so we could watch a movie. They were extremely pissed off at me the next day. My ailment had them give me sympathy, but I figured they wouldn't forget.

"I told you, Michiru, I got sick," I told her for the nth time. "And I don't know if I can. I don't think Naru will let me off the hook this time. We haven't been very... civil to each other, so I don't think he will cut me a break. Plus he cut my pay."

"Oh, that sucks," they said in unison. It didn't make me feel any better.

"Well, call when you feel better," Michiru said.

"Yeah, we'll still see you this summer," Keiko said in comfort. "Hopefully Kazuya is better by then. Ja nae!"

"Ja nae," I said bleakly. I hated how they would have a summer of luxury while I was miserable and pregnant. I decided to prepare a nursery for the baby during the summer, which would probably take about three months. Also, I was probably going to be exorcised if this ghost didn't go away soon. Bou-san was the only one I told, but I thought it was about time I told the others. I was currently two weeks pregnant. Plus they were suspicious. _Really_ suspicious.

The day the others left on the investigation of Bou-san's friend, I stayed behind, and Bou-san stayed with me in case something would happen to me because of the ghost. It made me feel really bad that Bou-san would stay behind for me even though the case had to do with one of his band members. A few days later, they came back. The case wasn't as successful since we weren't there, but I heard that they solved it "in a way" (I had no idea what that meant, but I would find that out soon).

Bou-san didn't say anything to them, thank goodness, but they still questioned him. If I was going to have help with the baby, Bou-san couldn't be my only support. I wasn't even sure if he was good with babies. I needed a gal.

* * *

Getting to work was such a drag. I was almost in the office when I remembered I forgot to take those pills that helped lapse my morning sickness. Damn! This day was going from bad to worse in a matter of seconds. As soon as I opened the door to the SPR room, I saw the whole gang there (not including Madoka): Ayako, John, Masako, Yasu, and Bou-san. Lin must've been with Naru. I expected the worse.

"Mai!" Ayako ran up to me. "Are you okay? Naru said something about you being in the hospital!" She sounded a little too melodramatic.

"I'm fine Ayako. You don't need to worry." I looked at Bou-san. I signaled him to follow me into the kitchen. "You didn't tell them, did you?"

"No. Naru called all of us here for something. I have a great feeling that it has to do with our absence. He may be catching on to us. Naru isn't naïve."

I sighed. "I know, unfortunately. I think Ayako is catching on, too. She sounded a little _too_ worried back there."

"Don't worry, Mai." Bou-san patted my head. "You'll be fine."

"I hope that means you're going to tell them for me," I said with puppy-dog eyes.

"No." I pouted. "You have to do this on your own, Mai."

"Takigawa-san, Mai, get in here!" I heard Naru's voice bellow at us. I was so scared. I was starting to feel nauseous. Naru was going to give us such a tongue-lashing. As we walked in the room, I could feel dozens of eyes glaring at us. I regretted getting out of bed this morning. I sat in between Bou-san and Yasu-sempai. Yasu seemed to be the only person in the room with a calm aura. Of course, he wasn't really aware of the situation.

"Are you okay, Mai? You look a little pale."

I nodded to him and said, "I'm okay." He didn't look very convinced but he didn't ask any further questions. All the eyes in the room were either looking at me in concern or suspicion. I didn't know how long I could stay in the room with this much tension. Masako held the most hate in her eyes. She kept staring at me so intently that I almost felt afraid of her. Almost.

A few moments later, Lin-san entered the room, followed by Naru. My nausea had gotten worse. Naru narrowed his eyes once he saw me and Bou-san. Bou-san held my hand and made sure no one saw. He gave my hand a squeeze reassuring that everything would be okay.

"I called all you here today to notify about the incident that happened on our last case. The investigation _you _offered us, Takigawa-san." Naru glared at Bou-san. He returned the favor. "One of the members of your band said that his family just moved into this house- a mansion to be more precise. He said each family member would set fires in the house. They were somehow possessed by a ghost." Naru started walking around the room as he told his story. "The last family member to set a fire was the man's daughter, a 6 year old girl who got a hold of some matches. But the parents said they've never told their daughter where they've kept the matches. It was then when Masako could sense the spirit of a little girl about 6 or 7-years-old, the same age as the little girl and the same ghost that possessed her. All together, we speculated that each person would be possessed by a certain ghost, depending on the particular family member.

"I had Madoka and Yasu look up some information about the previous owners of the house. Apparently, there was a mansion that was built in the same location as their house, and it used to belong to a wealthy family: the Sato family. Their family invested in gold many years ago when their ancestors found a wide range of gold in the area. The family's mansion was burnt down under mysterious circumstances. Madoka also found out about another family. The Koyabashi family. They owned a company that made dynamite. The Satos formed a monopoly with the dynamite company, promising to split the share 50/50. But the Satos took all of the profits after they found out that the miners only found fools gold." Naru stopped walking when he was in front of Bou-san. "I asked our client about your last concert. He said it was a laser light show. His family was part of a company that creates the machinery for the lights that were provided at the concert, fireworks, and formerly... dynamite." I could see that Bou-san held a guilty face.

"I hear what you're saying, now get to the point!" Bou-san yelled at Naru. Naru had daggers in his eyes.

"The Sato family feared that the Koyabashi's would plot their downfall, so they hired a psychic medium to perform a curse on the family. The night after the psychic medium set the curse, the Koyabashi's hired some hitmen to set the Sato family mansion on fire. The curse was a sham, but it was somehow triggered after the mansion was burnt down. Because the medium performed the exorcism incorrectly, the curse was very impossible to reverse. The curse was only set for the members of the Koyabashi family. The only solution we could think of was for them to move out. I, for one am disappointed that we were that unsuccessful. But the disappointing part of this case was that we had to burn down the mansion." I was a bit surprised that Naru couldn't think of a better solution.

"I know that Mai wasn't able to help solve this case because of her 'anemic' condition." Everybody's eyes turned back to me. They didn't look too surprised. I must've looked a little pale in their eyes because I felt sick to my stomach. "But you, Takigawa-san, have no excuse for not attending this matter."

I squeezed Bou-san's hand to try to calm him down, but he was so antsy to get his hands on Naru, he let go of my hand, and he stood over Naru, furious. With his taller height, he did look really intimidating. "You can't be blaming this on me! I had a very important reason for not being there!"

"Well, do you care to share with the rest of us?"

_He wouldn't..._

Bou-san made a promise to me; I knew he wouldn't tell. He said I had to tell them on my own; I knew he wouldn't break his promise. After a few seconds of staring, Bou-san sat back down.

"I know the incident wasn't entirely your fault," Naru said, matter-of-factly.

_What do you mean by that, you opinionated narcissist! That whole incident wasn't Bou-san's fault at all!_

"But maybe Mai can tell me why you weren't there, won't you Mai?" Oh crap. I knew he wouldn't let the hospital incident go. But now I had the opportunity to tell them everything. But I was so nervous, my nausea grew worse. Eyes were staying at me from all over. Bou-san's were more concerned. I covered my mouth quickly. I had to leave before I spewed all over.

"Can you excuse me for a minute?" I requested rapidly. I ran out of the room before Naru could open his mouth.

"Mai!" his voice called out to me.

I ran into the nearest bathroom, and then spewed out my breakfast in the toilet. "Ohhh... I was so close! I almost told them! AH!" I kept scolding myself for missing my chance to tell everybody about the baby, about the ghost, about everything! "Why didn't you tell them? Baka! Baka! Baka!"

I kept banging me head, softly, on the stall door, telling myself how stupid I was. I started crying out of my misery. I stopped when I heard someone else entered the bathroom. "Mai? Are you okay?" I heard Ayako's voice ask in concern.

"Uh-huh," I mumbled. "I just got a little claustrophobic."

"That's not what it looked like to me." I swallowed a sob, but another one came out. I clamped my mouth shut. "Are you crying?"

"N-No!" I whimpered.

"Come out of the stall and tell me what's wrong."

My tears started falling faster, and I couldn't hold in my sobs anymore. I ran out the stall and tucked my arms around Ayako's waist. "I'm pregnant!" I said in her chest.

"W-What?"

I took a deep, shaky breath before repeating. "I'm pregnant!"

"What! I knew you and Bou-san were hiding something fishy! I'm going to kill him!"

"It's not Bou-san's, Ayako!"

"Then who's is it? And don't lie to me, Mai." Ayako held my shoulders and waited for an answer. I couldn't look at her face. Revealing the truth to her was harder than telling Bou-san.

"The father is... Naru."

I couldn't see it, but I knew her face was filled with pure shock. "How did this happen?" she asked angrily.

"I thought it was just a dream. But everything felt so real. Then Naru couldn't control himself and went after me. There was also a ghost there who kept controlling where we went and said something about making my dreams come true." I waited a few seconds for Ayako to respond, but she said nothing. I was afraid to look up. I knew she wouldn't be very happy. "After I had that dream, the ghost would never go away. Then this happened." I pointed at my stomach. "You and Bou-san are the only ones I've told."

"When did you have that dream?"

"The night after I provoked Naru."

I didn't know how that related with the ghost, but I knew that it was relevant. "Mai, you know that we might have to perform an exorcism on _you_, right?"

"I know. To tell you the truth, I figured that one day you would have to perform an exorcism on me on an investigation. I just didn't know it would be like this."

Ayako patted my shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll help you through this."

"Thanks. And promise me one thing: Please don't tell Masako. She'll murder me if she found out the father of the baby is..."

"I understand. But Mai, she's bound to find out. She's a medium, so she might sense the ghost."

"Thanks for reminding me," I sulked. "Oh, and one more thing. I want to keep this baby, so if you don't mind, could you help me take care of him or her and help me prepare a nursery?"

"Sure Mai. I'm from a family that owns a hospital, after all. And Houshou's not really good with taking care of baby's."

"I figured as much." I knew I could depend on Ayako. She was like the older sister I never had. "Thank you, Ayako." I gave her a warm hug. She returned the embrace.

"Your welcome."

We let go of each other and then left the bathroom. On our way back to the SPR office, Ayako began giggling. "What's so funny?"

She stopped a moment and wiped her eyes. "I want to meet that ghost who said it could make your dreams come true. Everybody's not oblivious to the romantic chemistry between you and Naru as you think they are, Mai."

My faced turned red again. How could she think of something like that? "Ayako, stop laughing! That's not funny!" She began running and I chased after her, her laughs became louder and louder.

* * *

When I arrived home, the first thing I did was take those pills I forgot to take earlier. Thank goodness I got home early. Masako kept staring at me; it felt uncomfortable. She probably already knew about the ghost. She might even tell Naru. I already told two people about my current condition and how it happened. John was the only reliable person left to tell. Lin-san was definitely out of the picture; if he knew, there was no doubt that he would tell Naru. But I still had a mental debate to settle: Should I tell Naru? He was the father, after all. But how would he react? I feared he might reject the baby.

Later that night, I felt a very uncomfortable disturbance. At first, I thought I was just thinking too hard about this whole baby dilemma. But as I lied down in my bed, I felt cold chill and shivered. Then it happened: someone's hand glided from my leg to my abdomen. Then I felt a quick, sharp pain. I screamed.


	6. Warnings

**Ch. 5 Warnings**

"Someone was in your house last night?" Bou-san asked. I called him and Ayako the next morning. I was so terrified about what happened, I didn't think I could stay in the apartment by myself. And who better to call than two spiritualists?

I put a hand over my stomach protectively. "I felt a hand go up to my stomach. Then I felt a sharp pain. I think the ghost is after the baby." It made no sense. The ghost wanted me to have this baby, now it wanted to take him/her away. It was like the ghost was using me. I wish I knew why.

"This may be the work of an earth spirit." That was Ayako's usual conclusion.

"You think every ghost is an earth spirit." Bou-san stated. "Your trees won't serve any use to us right now." Ayako glared at him. "This ghost may be more dangerous since it caused Mai internal pain. We can't leave Mai in the apartment alone. Someone's going to have to stay with her." Ayako nodded in agreement.

"I promised to stay with her. She's gonna need help arranging the nursery and when the baby arrives." I felt safer since Ayako and Bou-san were watching after me. I really wanted to have this baby. I felt it would give me a sense of accomplishment and responsibility knowing that I could take care of another living being, besides myself. "I'll pack my things then come here by eight. Is that alright with you, Mai?"

"Uh-huh. I'll see you tonight."

Now that that was cleared, I decided to take this time and confront another dilemma. As I walked to the door, Bou-san asked, "Where are you going, Mai?"

"To the office. I trust you guys to protect me, but honestly, I don't think that two people are enough. I feel like I need to inform someone else."

"Naru?" they both asked in unison.

"NO!" I saw the evil grin on their faces. They thought they were real slick. "It's John. You guys have different methods for exorcising ghosts. I need to tell him just in case I need the extra protection."

"That's fair enough." Bou-san opened the door for me. "Come on. I'll escort you there. You need to be watched 24/7."

I sighed at his overprotective-ness. "Well, if you insist..."

* * *

When we entered SPR, John wasn't there. It didn't seem like Naru was there either; everything was too quiet. But as always, Masako was sitting on a lounging chair sipping her cup of tea. "Oh hello, Mai. Bou-san."

"H-hey, Masako," I greeted her. Bou-san didn't respond. "We just came to see if John was here."

"He hasn't come by today." Masako put down her cup and stood up. "Naru was really upset with you yesterday, Mai. And you seemed to be in a hurry." She started walking toward me. Her face was stoic, but I could tell that she had something on her mind. "Is there something you're hiding, Mai?"

For the first time for as long as I'd known her, I saw Masako smirking. Masako _smirking_. I knew there was something wrong then. As she got closer to me, I suddenly felt sick again. My head was spinning and I felt like puking on her right there and then.

Bou-san saw how I was struggling and stepped in front of me. "That's enough Masako!" Masako frowned at him. Then she went back to her seat. "Come on Mai." Bou-san grabbed my hand and led me out the door. I was right; before the door closed, I saw the malicious smirk on Masako's face again.

I never felt so terrified.

* * *

"Masako knows?" Ayako blasted.

"I'm positive she figured it out," Bou-san answered her. "She's probably still oblivious of Mai's pregnancy, but there's no doubt she felt the ghost's presence."

"This is just great! I'm doomed!" I paced around the room on edge. If Masako knew, she would surely tell Naru, and I didn't want him to find out just yet.

"Mai! You shouldn't put this much stress on the baby." Ayako made me sit down. "And don't worry about John. I already called him when you left. He's on his way here."

I could image the expression on John's face once he heard about my pregnancy. "Great."

"Don't worry Mai. He also promised not to tell Naru."

"It won't matter! Masako probably already told Naru by now!" I stood up and went into the kitchen. I poured myself a glass of water and jugged it all in my mouth. I set the glass on the counter roughly, which made a loud clatter.

_What am I going to do? Once Naru knows, there's going to be cameras and research equipment all over this house. Once he gets rid of that ghost, he won't care about anything else._

I felt a cold breeze on my shoulder and shivered. The kitchen was chilly for some reason. The A/C was normal room temperature, though. Maybe it was just me. The glass I put down earlier began to float suddenly. And then it flew right at me, but I ducked before it could hit me. It hit the wall and shattered into pieces.

Then something banged me against the wall and started choking me.

"_**The power you possess will be mine!**_" I heard a voice say.

"W-why... are you doing this?" I said hoarsely. When I didn't hear a response, I tried to scream. I felt pain in my lower abdomen. And then I felt something wet run down my leg. It was blood. Tears were running down my eyes.

_My baby..._

"_Naumaka san manda bazaradan!_" I heard Bou-san repeat the mantra and the ghost started to release its grip on my neck.

"_**We'll meet once again, my child...**_"

I fell to the ground as soon as the ghost disappeared. The pain in my stomach wouldn't stop and my cries grew louder. I heard footsteps come toward me. "We need to take her to the hospital!"

"Hurry!"

The last thing I saw was Bou-san's troubled face. "B-Bou-san..."

"Don't worry, Mai. We're taking you to the hospital. You'll be fine there." He lifted me off the ground, which made the pain worse. It became so unbearable, I passed out.

* * *

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_"Mai,"_

"_Oh…"_

_"I need you to wake up, Mai," the voice said. "Open your eyes, Mai."_

_I groaned. "I can't. It hurts."_

_"The pain will go away soon. Just open your eyes."_

_I opened my eyes to see a very dim Naru. If I could, I would be able to put a hand through Naru's body. The light on his chest got even bigger. "Naru, what's happening?"_

_"The ghost is after the baby."_

_"You told me that already!" I sat up. The pain in my stomach ached, but I didn't care. "What was that ghost doing to me? Why is it after the baby?"_

_"Lie down and relax, Mai." Naru made me lay on my back before giving me an explanation. "It wants power."_

_"But I'm not a powerful psychic like you. Why isn't it after you?"_

_"...Just worry about yourself, Mai." I stared at him. Why is he still hiding everything from me? "You'll know more soon enough, Mai. What the ghost did to you was only a warning."_

_"A warning?" Naru nodded. If that was a warning, then meant the ghost would do something worse to the baby. "Can I do anything to make it stop?"_

_"Stay by my side."_

_"Wha-?" Naru faded away. "NARU!"_


	7. He Knows

**Ch. 6 He Knows**

I was officially two months pregnant.

Things had been very difficult for me after that ghost incident that happened a couple weeks ago. Lucky for me, the baby was not harmed in any way. It kind of surprised me a bit. I lost a lot of blood, but it didn't affect the baby at all; not that I was complaining or anything. The doctor also said I would be due some time in late January. I had to be more careful or I'd have a miscarriage. Once I was checked out of the hospital, the others weren't taking anymore chances. Bou-san put these specials seals around every door in my apartment to ward off ghosts that might try to harm me. Bou-san, Ayako, and John took turns performing exorcisms in my room before I went to sleep and in the morning when I woke up in case there was an apparition following me. Ayako and Bou-san were doing most of the work due to John's side job at the church. It was like ever since I almost had a miscarriage. I didn't have any admonitions since; I was relieved the seals were working.

The condition of my pregnancy also changed. Mood swings replaced my morning sickness. I also started having these wild cravings for strawberries. One minute I would be all cheerful, then the next thing I knew, I was yelling at John to get more strawberries, then I'd start sobbing and apologize to him for yelling. I knew I was driving Bou-san and John crazy. Ayako, on the other hand, was fairing well with my mood swings. She told me all women are like this when they're pregnant. It just takes plenty of patience and a lot of love. I was glad Ayako was staying to help with my pregnancy.

One day, I decided to take a walk alone to think. I wasn't sure if it was safe to walk alone, but I needed the thinking space. I decided to go to the park. My mother used to take me there when I was little. She would watch me play on the playground and even join me if I was having too much fun. I sat on a bench and watched children play their hearts out and their parents join their fun. It made me feel more anxious to be a mother.

I put a hand on my flat stomach. "Once you come out, I'll make sure you're as happy-go-lucky as those kids over there."

"Who are you talking to, Mai?" I quickly removed my hand and looked to see who asked me that question.

"Oh, hey Masako. I didn't see you there. I was just talking to myself."

Masako bowed, which was an unusual gesture for her to do towards me. Then she sat down next to me. "How have you been?"

Did I hear right?

"I've been better. Why?"

"You haven't showed up at the office in such a long time. I'm just worried about you." I did hear right. Masako was being nice to me! There was probably some kind of scam behind her generosity. "You look quite unkempt."

"Well, I haven't been feeling very good lately."

"You should tell Naru."

"It's nothing to be concerned about."

"Well, if you don't tell him," Masako stood up then gave me a sly grin. "_I _will."

I knew Masako was up to something. I stood up in front of her so we were eye-to-eye. Her eyes narrowed more, which made me a little frightened. It was like she was possessed. It was then I realized it. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Masako didn't answer me. Instead, she smirked at me and started to walk away. "You better do something about that little problem before... well, you know..." She made a little, maniacal laugh then walked off. I wasn't really sure if it was the ghost or the medium herself, but why did Masako always have to make this into some kind of battle? I didn't love Naru the way she did- I didn't love him at all! That was what I thought. He made me so frustrated! Just thinking about him made me want to scream and cry and… just _cry _even more.

I sank to my knees and started sobbing. Naru made my life complicated enough and Masako was just making things worse.

_Naru... please... why can't you tell me what's wrong. I don't know what to do. I may not love you, but I still care. Please... I don't think I can handle these mysteries anymore..._

-X-

_**Don't worry about me, Mai. I'll protect you...**_

-X-

I told the others about my encounter with Masako at the park. I didn't want them to make such a big deal about it; the more we worried, the more complicated things would become. Besides, if she did tell Naru about the ghost, he would be decorating my apartment with ghost hunting equipment by now.

Bou-san made me stay away from the office in case I ran into Masako again, so I was out of a job. Things weren't as bad as I thought they would turn out, especially since no ghosts had come to try to take my baby's 'power' (whatever it is). I let my guard down since I had the others to protect me.

I was now in my third month and I could feel the bump on my stomach. I was glad it wasn't very perceptible. School would be starting tomorrow, but I didn't think I could go back. Not now, anyway. Instead of getting ready for school, Ayako was helping me set up the nursery. My apartment was fairly small but it was as big as the SPR office, so I had room to put everything I needed in place. I wanted the baby to be somewhere safe and somewhere I could reach him/her in case of an emergency, so the crib was set up across from my bed. John donated it. I couldn't afford much more, except for small essentials like diapers and baby clothes. The only toy I had for the baby was my old teddy bear.

"Are you sure you don't want to set up the nursery in the guest room?" Ayako insisted. "I don't mind sleeping on your couch."

"No. I want to be able to reach the baby in case of an emergency. Besides, I don't want to spoil her too much."

"Her?"

"Yeah. I think the baby may be a girl. It's one of my motherly instincts."

"Maybe it's just your psychic powers. That or you're just crazy." Ayako laughed.

"Hey! I'm serious. When you're expecting a baby, it has an effect on you."

"The only effects I see in a pregnancy are mood swings, cravings, swollen breasts, and stomachs the size of watermelons."

"Are... are you saying I'm... I'm... _fat_!"

"No, no, no! I'm just saying those are some of the effects in a pregnancy," Ayako tried to console me. "Sure your stomach will... Grow, but that's perfectly normal."

I couldn't believe myself. I was acting like a child. Ayako was right. It was perfectly normal for pregnant women to show. But not pregnant teenagers. Going out in public, knowing people would stare at me because they thought I was a careless teen, eyes with scornful looks glaring at me everywhere I went, ashamed. How could I ever go out in public, again? How could I tell my friends? I couldn't stop going to school, but what other choice did I have? Once I started to show, the other students wouldn't stop staring at me.

_Stop it, Mai!_ I thought._ You don't care what other people think! You're going to be a mother and you're going to be proud of it!_

I had to start listening to myself. Being a mother wasn't shameful. It was a wonderful thing. I put a hand on my stomach. "I can't wait for you to come out, baby," I said to my growing belly.

Ayako put her hand over the mine. "Neither can your Aunt Ayako," she said to my stomach.

"We're all anxious for your arrival."

_I just hope you aren't as cold-hearted as your helpless father._

-X

_**I can help you, Mai. Just tell me the truth...**_

-X-

School started over a month ago, but I didn't bother to go. It was my fourth month and the beginning of my second trimester. If I wore my uniform, anybody would be able to see a change in my appearance. Plus it had been a very long time since any ghosts had tried coming anywhere near me. I didn't want to risk it, though. I could put other people in danger.

The others weren't too happy about my decision. I told Ayako and John that I would think about it, but Bou-san wasn't satisfied.

One day, I was happily eating a bowl of cereal, and then Bou-san came into the kitchen. He sat next to me and had an eager grin on his face. Too eager. "Mai," he sang.

"Yes?" I said with a mouth full of cereal.

"Are you planning on going to school today?"

Here we go again. Everyday ever since the day school started, Bou-san tried to persuade me to go back to school. I wanted him to get over it, but he wouldn't suffice. I wasn't going back, not when there was a ghost out there trying to kill me and my baby.

"For the last time, Bou-san, I'm not going to school!"

Bou-san frowned. "You can't stop going to school, Mai. Your education is still important."

"My education is the least of my worries." I put my spoon in the bowl angrily. "How do I know when it's safe to go back? What if the ghost attacks in the middle of one of my classes? You can't put seals all around the school without giving the principal an explanation."

"Mai's right, Bou-san." Ayako came into the kitchen with a cup of coffee. "If you tell the principal about this, he may not let Mai return to the school. She just has to stay here until we know it's safe."

"Whatever. One of us is going to have to home school you, for now."

"Let's not talk about this right now," I said in an annoyed tone. I held my stomach as I got up from my seat. "I'm going grocery shopping," I announced as I grabbed my jacket.

"You shouldn't go alone, Mai."

"I'll be fine."

I needed some space. I couldn't talk to either of those two without the topic being about school, ghosts, or the baby. It was really boring. I had been cooped up in that apartment too long. I wanted to talk to my friends, but they're in school. I kept avoiding their calls over the summer. They were probably worried about me. Naru might've even gotten suspicious. He kept records of my absent days. Once he knew I wasn't going to school he may drive up here and ask for an explanation. Maybe he won't care. Maybe. _Hopefully_.

All I bought from the store was some rice balls and sushi. I had a killer craving for rice nowadays. I didn't buy a lot because I wasn't suppose to carry heavy things. It brought stress to baby. Maybe I should've let Bou-san come with me; he could've helped carry more groceries. When I reached my apartment door, I didn't have anymore groceries. I ate everything on my way home (stupid cravings!). I didn't feel like going back, especially since my feet were aching, so I went home with empty bags.

When I opened the door, I saw someone I feared to see within my 9 months of pregnancy:

Naru.

He was here, alone, and in my apartment. He sat on my couch as if he was expecting me. How could this have happened? I looked around the room for clarification. No one said a word. No one looked at me. I was too dumbstruck to even ask. I couldn't help but notice Naru was staring at my stomach. My hand was still placed on top of it. I gripped onto that part of my shirt when his stare intensified. I wanted to run but I couldn't find the courage.

"Mai," he finally said. He stood up and walked up to me until his shadow enveloped my entire body. "We need to talk."

That was what I was afraid...

-X-

_**You gave me no choice, Mai...**_


	8. The Talk

**Ch. 7 The Talk**

I stared at Naru, his eyes intense. This was the day I feared would come, but I couldn't forestall it much longer. What was weird was Lin wasn't here at all. I wondered if everything will be fine if he wasn't here to help Naru control his temper.

I led Naru into the kitchen then shut the door when I saw Bou-san ready to charge. Thankfully, John and Ayako held him down. I walked over to the counter. "Do you want some tea, Naru?" I thought it was a good idea. Tea always calmed him down.

"Sit down, Mai." Apparently not today.

I sat at his command. His venomous tone frightened me a bit. I sat across from Naru and put my head down so I couldn't see his face. I never felt this tense before. I could feel Naru's firm stare taunting me. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Naru?" I asked in an impudent manner.

"You know exactly why I'm here, Mai."

I sighed heavily. I couldn't stall anymore; now was the time to face my fear and actually _talk_ with him. "How long have you known?"

"Since the 'incident' that happened to us several months ago." I knew he was talking about the dream, but he made it sound like a nightmare (not that I enjoyed it, either). "I wasn't very certain about it, but then Masako told me she could sense ghostly aura whenever she was around you."

_That bitch!_

"And your strange behavior made me wonder, too. Your friends started to call my office, telling me that you weren't going to school. How long have you been planning on keeping this a secret from me? As your boss, I'm required to have the medical records of all my employees. You wouldn't want to worry your friends, would you?" I didn't reply. "Look at me, Mai." I hesitated. Then he sighed. "The sooner you talk, the sooner we can solve this little problem. Now tell me why you didn't inform me about this little problem earlier."

It seemed like hours until I finally decided to clear the air. "… I was… afraid…" The look on his face told him he wanted a more specific answer. "… of your rejection."

Naru still looked confused, but then his expression turned stoic. "You're not serious about keeping this child, are you?" I nodded. "Mai, you're too young."

"I'm 17. I'm practically an adult. Besides, it's my responsibility. _Our_ responsibility."

"Don't be stupid, Mai."

"Stop avoiding it, Naru!" I said in a mocking tone. "Don't you even care that your child is in danger?" I stood up from my seat, careful of my stomach.

"Mai, you need to realize that this child isn't the problem we need to focus on. The ghost-"

"I knew it." I turned my head away from him in distaste. "That's why I didn't tell you when I found out. Getting rid of that ghost is all you ever care about. Once the job is done, you're only going to wait for your next case. You don't care about this baby and you don't care about me!"

"Is that what you really think?"

"That's what you make it sound like! If you never meant to get me pregnant, then why did you take advantage of me like that?" I snapped at him.

That was when I struck his patience cord. I knew he was about to yell at me, but then the look on his face changed. Naru suddenly fell to his knees and the kitchen started to shake. I held onto something to prevent myself from falling. I was kind of surprised Naru caught himself from cursing in my face, but then I saw his face again. He was in pain. I could hear Naru scream in agony. I never heard him scream before; it was something I couldn't believe. It sounded so ear-piercingly unbearable. I never heard something so terrible!

As soon as the shaking stopped, I went to Naru's aid. He was lying on the floor, almost unconscious. I knelt down and put my hand on Naru's head. It was burning up. "Naru!"

"I'm alright… Mai." His voice was shaky. He tried sitting up but it was too painful for him. I had a great feeling that this was my entire fault. I caused Naru pain and I didn't even know how I did it.

I was close to tears. "Naru… I-"

"I'm sorry, Mai."

"Wh-What?"

"I got so worked up about this predicament; I forgot you were in a delicate situation of your own. I was being careless."

"Naru…" The tears fell uncontrollably. Why was he making this more difficult than it already is? He apologized so suddenly. Something was wrong.

"Let's continue our discussion."

"O-okay."

I wiped away my tears then I unsteadily stood up. Naru did the same while putting a hand on his head. He looked really exhausted. My motherly instincts told me to help him (it was a good thing I wasn't not _his_ mother. I felt really old when I said that). As soon as Naru sat down, I went to the sink and soaked a towel. I dabbed Naru's forehead a bit before he took it away from him.

"Thank you, Mai." I nodded before sat down. Then I watched Naru. His eyes were closed as if he were deep in thought, and his hand continued to dab his forehead.

"What just happened, Naru?" I asked. "Why was the ground shaking?" He still didn't say a word. He was probably still shaken from all that commotion. Then again, he probably already knew, but he didn't want me to worry about it because it's "none of my business."

"In order to prevent this little incident from happening again," he began, which was a typical Naru answer, "I just want to clarify a few more things, before I leave. How far along in the pregnancy are you?"

"Four months."

"Do you _really _want to keep this baby?"

"Hai."

"Then you're not safe here. At least not without me."

_What is he getting at?_ I thought. He sounded suspicious.

"You'll be moving in with me until the time being. Pack the things you need and I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"Hai, Naru..."

3...

2...

1...

"**WHAT!**"


	9. Surprises

**Ch. 8 Surprises**

This was probably every girl's dream: moving in with the man of your dreams, especially if he was a man as handsome as Naru. Well, if you ever got the chance to know Naru, or anybody like him, you'd probably want to change your mind. I never imagined living with the narcissistic bastard. How could I? Twenty-four hours of his criticism, the color black, and those mesmerizing blue eyes (ignore that last one); did I really need more of that?

It wasn't like I had much of a choice, not in my position, anyway. How could I refuse his offer, or should I say his "demand"? If I stayed in my tiny apartment, I wouldn't be safe forever. A ghost could easily get to me and harm the baby. But would Naru's home be any safer? If he advised it, it must be. He _was_ Naru after all, and Naru apparently knew _everything_.

As I finished packing the rest of my things (I didn't pack much. Bou-san, John, and Ayako made me rest while they packed for me. I only carried a small bag filled with baby essentials I prepared), Bou-san and Ayako still held some concern about this.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Mai?" Bou-san asked. "There are other options."

"I ran out of options when I decided to keep this baby, Bou-san."

"This may be the safer for her," John added. He supported my decision, and he agreed to stay with Ayako and Bou-san and watch my apartment while I was gone. I was grateful to have him as a friend.

"Whatever." Bou-san didn't really trust Naru because he knew about the "Incident." _Me_ moving in with _him_ was definitely something he wasn't satisfied with. Plus he was still suspicious of the talk we had yesterday.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine," I said. "Naru wouldn't do anything bad to me… again. By the way, did you guys feel any shaking or something like an earthquake while me and Naru were in the kitchen yesterday?" Everybody looked at me like I was crazy.

"We didn't feel a thing. Why?" John asked.

That was strange. They didn't know what happened. They didn't even say anything about it yesterday when Naru left. It couldn't have been a poltergeist if nobody else felt it in the apartment. It made me wonder a lot. I could've asked Naru, but he would never tell me.

"Ano… it's nothing." I turned away before they suspected something.

"Mai…" Bou-san said in a warning tone.

"Nothing happened," I assured. "I swear."

Before Bou-san could ask anymore questions, there was a knock on the door. Naru right on cue. I opened the door and saw my arrogant boss. "Let's go," he said. Typical Naru.

"I just need to get my things."

"I'll get them for you. Just head to the car." He was so demanding. I knew we had quite an argument yesterday, but he didn't have to have an attitude about it. And why was he rushing me?

"Can I at least say goodbye?"

Naru narrowed his eyes at me. "Fine, but don't take too long." When he had my bags, he quickly left.

I gave everybody a quick hug. "Please watch my apartment while I'm gone."

"Just call if you need anything or if there's something wrong," Bou-san said. "I don't want to hear that you're in the hospital again unless you're giving birth."

I laughed. "Don't worry; I'm sure I won't be staying at Naru's long enough to get hurt."

"Who knows, Mai? Maybe you'll stay there longer than you expect. Maybe even forever," Ayako joked. I blushed. Naru would never want me to live with him forever. He was only making me stay for a while because I was pregnant and because of that stupid ghost... or ghosts. _AUGH!_

"Well, I better go. Bye!" I ran out as fast as I could, which wasn't fast because of the baby bump. I leaned against the wall outside my apartment door and sighed. Why would Ayako think of something so… _impossible_? I never actually thought about it too much, ever since yesterday. But now that I think about it:

_I'm moving in with Naru!_

How could I have _not _notice this before?

_I'm moving in with _Naru_!_

I didn't know it could actually happen!

_I, __Taniyama Mai__, am moving in with _the _Shibuya Kazuya__!_

I was the luckiest girl in the world-!

"You're late." Leave it to Naru to ruin my good mood.

"You can't expect me to move as fast as I used to since I have to carry nine extra pounds with me for five more months, thanks to you I should mention."

Naru frowned at me. "Come with me." Naru led me outside to this black car. It was black; no surprise. I was little surprised Naru didn't bring the SPR van. Of course, why would he make me ride in a van filled with heavy and dangerous ghost hunting equipment?

_Great thinking, Mai._

The doors of the car opened up instead of out. It was probably the coolest car I had ever seen, and I hadn't been around that many cars. When he opened the door, I saw Lin-san in the driver's seat.

"Hey, Lin-san."

He nodded at my greeting before turning back to the wheel. His face was so emotionless. I was kind of afraid of what he was thinking. I was probably a hindrance to him. I didn't want to make him upset, so I quickly sat in the back seat.

Naru didn't get inside the car yet. I looked through the window and saw that he was talking to (more like arguing with) Bou-san. He handed Naru a slim sheet of paper. Once they were done with their little "chat", Naru got in the passenger's seat.

"Here." Naru handed me a seal. "The ghost won't notice your absence as long as you keep this with you." I didn't know where to put it, so I just clung onto it. Kami knew what would happen if I lost it.

* * *

"Um, Naru, why are we at the SPR building?"

"This is where I live."

"What!" is what I would've shouted in shock, if I wanted to lower the low amount of self-esteem I had left in my pathetic life. If I said that out loud, he would probably say something like, "Even people as smart as me can live with small luxuries, Mai. Maybe you'd know that if you'd go to school like you're suppose to," or something like that.

Truth be told, I actually thought Naru lived in a fancy mansion because his father was a psychic professor. So he was basically... I don't know... _rich._ It was a stereotypical thought, but where else would he get the money to afford all the ghost hunting equipment? Either his father supported him or Masako really was Naru's sponsor (or patron, according to John. I really hoped she wasn't. If Masako _really_ loved Naru, she would know that she couldn't gain his love by blackmailing him).

Lin and Naru carried my bags as we walked into the building. This building didn't belong to Naru. I just called it the SPR building because that was where I worked, or used to work. Not many people worked here, so I didn't get that many stares, especially when I was trying to hide my pregnancy under my jacket.

Once we were inside the elevator, I sighed in relief. I wasn't used to those kinds of glares. Well, at least not from strangers. This was probably more embarrassing for Naru, since he lives in this building. I wonder what his apartment looked like, if he lived in an apartment. It was probably a condo. Maybe that was why it seemed like he never left his office.

We were on the same floor as the SPR office. I was right; he did live in a condominium. Naru unlocked the door and on the other side...

There was a den that took up half the room, with a long couch, coffee table, and a widescreen TV! Ahead was kitchenette complete with an oven, stove, a table, and a counter with stools. There was also a love seat that sat next to the couch. It was probably the most fabulous condo I'd ever seen, and I'd never been in a condo.

Naru must've noticed my hypnotic state because then he said, "Don't get too comfortable yet, Mai. I don't want any drool on my carpet."

_Cocky bastard._

"Come with me." Lin and I followed him into another room. "This will be your room." Naru and Lin set my things on the bed. "Unpack and get settled. SPR is next door if you need anything."

"Wait, you expect me to unpack all of my stuff by myself?" I asked.

"I think you're still capable of doing such an easy task, Mai."

"Yeah, but..." He and Lin already left before I could say anything else. Why did he have to be such an egotistical jerk?

I looked around the room. It was small-too small to set up a crib-but it was cozy. It had everything I needed: a dresser and a bed that already had fresh sheets. I put all the clothes I had in the dresser and set up my toiletries and other minor essentials on top of the dresser. I put the seal on the wall by the door. Once I was done with that, I plopped down on the bed on my back. I looked around the room even more. The walls were white and I noticed there was a mirror hung over the dresser. I walked up to the mirror and sighed at my reflection. "This is going to be a _long_ five months."


	10. The 5 Things I Like About Her

**Ch. 9 The 5 Things I Like About Her**

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_"Mai,"_

_Naru?_

_"Mai, wake up."_

_"N-Naru?" I opened my eyes, but my vision was a little blurry. Naru was losing his tone and that light was even bigger._

_"You're safe, Mai. For now."_

_"For now...?"_

_"As long as you're not alone. Please stay by my side. It's for the best."_

_I felt a weird sensation in my belly. I put a hand on top of it. "What's happening to her?"_

_"Don't worry. The baby's going to be fine."_

_"No! Tell me! I want straight answers!"_

_Naru sighed. When he opened his mouth as he if he was about to tell me something, but then he was interrupted by a mysterious voice._

_"_She'll know when the time comes... _Naru_._" The voice emphasized Naru's name, as if it were a joke. It sounded like the same voice I heard in the "Dream Incident." Naru suddenly got up and walked away. Why did this always have to happen when I was so close to a conclusion?_

_"We'll see you soon... Mai..."_

_We...?_

~ _Dream End_ ~

* * *

That was the first dream I had in weeks. I knew it! Dream Naru was in league with the ghost(s)! What did the baby have to do with this? And why did the ghost want her power? I needed to know what they were doing before it was too late.

As the days past, I was always left alone to take care of myself. And I got really, really, _really_ bored. Sure there was a giant screened TV I could watch, but I would always be too tired to even turn it on. There was a fridge stuffed with food calling my name, but I was too exhausted to go in the kitchenette and get something to eat. Everyday was the same: wake up at 12:00 A.M., eat something that Naru prepared for me (I never knew he could cook. He would usually demand for me to make him tea everyday, so I always thought otherwise), watch as much TV as I can until I fall asleep, eat a snack/meal, take another nap, have another snack/meal, eat what Naru prepared for dinner, then go to sleep at 7:30 P.M. It was really dull and lonesome.

Being pregnant sucked- at least when you're alone. You couldn't do most things on your own and you had to rely on others to do the simplest of tasks for you. Naru didn't even come back until later in the night. Did Naru actually think about this when he demanded me to move with him? This was probably one of the most simple-minded things he had ever done! Even _he_ should've know that women needed 24/7 care when they were pregnant! (_Mai: 2 Naru: still infinite_)

It had been a week since I started living with Naru, and I was already entering my 5th month. I looked in the mirror. My stomach was getting bigger and my face was swelling. I really needed to workout after the baby was born.

"Mai? Are you here?"

Was that Naru? No, it couldn't have been Naru. His voice was deeper and it always sounded serious, monotone. Plus, this voice was more feminine and soft.

"Mai?" The door opened and revealed

"Mori-san!" I hugged her. She looked surprised at first, but then her cheeky smile appeared.

"It's great to see you, Mai-chan! Naru called me and asked me to watch over you for him, but he never told me why. I came here as fast as I could to see if anything was wrong." Then Madoka saw my stomach, which making our hug a bit complicated. "I guess I just found out."

I blushed in embarrassment. "I can explain. But first, can you get me some juice?"

"Sure!"

* * *

There were many things I admired about Madoka. The first thing was that Madoka could convince Naru to do whatever she wanted him to do. She was the one who advised Naru to go into the ghost hunting business in the first place.

The second reason was her courage. I envied her for not fearing Naru in any way and having Naru feel intimidated by her. Even Lin-san got stiff whenever she was in near proximity. She was my idol. I could just imagine what it would feel like to be in Madoka's shoes. I would be wearing the pants in SPR, not Naru.

The third reason was that I could immediately open up to her. In one way, she was like an older sister I could talk to about anything (besides Ayako). In other ways, she was like a psychic (I hoped not). There was nothing I could hide that she wouldn't find out, eventually. She had her ways, like when she helped us with the Blood Labyrinth case. But this time, she was the big sister. I told her everything. From the dream that caused all of this, to the fight that made me live here (I didn't tell her about the poltergeist thing. She could find out on her own; _she has her ways_).

After I finished telling her everything, she suddenly smiled. "I knew there was something special about you, Mai."

"What are you talking about?"

Madoka almost dropped her cup of tea. "You and Naru!"

"..."

"You know: You two... always fighting... when you two fell into that manhole and got to spend quality time with each other…"

_How the hell did she know that? Oh yeah, she has her ways..._

"Now you two are expecting a baby and you're living together! You guys skipped a couple of steps in your relationship, but it was worth it!"

Why did people always have to act like this when it came to me and Naru? "I already told you that this pregnancy thing was an accident," I said, irritated. "But I'm still going to take care of her, even if Naru won't help."

"Her?"

"Mother's intuition; I think it'll be a girl. Anyway, it's not like Naru cares."

"Oh, I doubt that." Madoka took a sip of her tea.

"How do you know I'm wrong?"

"I told you before, Mai, Naru has weird ways of showing that he cares. This is one of those ways." I was having a hard time believing Madoka. Naru was always downright annoyed by my presence. "In my opinion, I think you're his favorite."

She couldn't be serious. "You can't be serious."

"Why not? You're the only one who doesn't treat Naru like he's a god, and you're not intimidated him, either. You're like his best friend."

"But he treats me like I'm a little kid with no common sense!"

"Naru's just playing with you. And he only wants to keep you safe. I've never seen Naru so overprotective of anyone in years. I mean, he's letting you _live_ with him! I bet by a milestone that he wouldn't let Takigawa-san, Matsuzaki-san, or even _Hara-san _live with him no matter what the consequences were." Wow, I affected him _that_ much? Naru must've had a rough childhood. And I could never imagine him letting Masako live here. I could tell by the look on his face that he was always irritated by her presence. "Trust me, Mai. Without you, let's just say, Naru probably wouldn't live to see another day," she said in a dramatic tone.

"Okay, I get it. You don't have to be so melodramatic about it. I know I should take back the things I've said about him."

The fourth thing I liked most about Madoka was the way she always made people realize that things were better than they seemed. The things she told me made me really reflect on why Naru called her here in the first place. He really _did_ care. "Thank you, Madoka."

"No prob! Now, about the wedding..."

"What wedding? We've never even DATED!"

"Maybe you have and you're not telling me something. I'll have to ask Naru later."

"Ask Naru what?"

_NARU!_

He was standing by the door with his arms crossed and an eyebrow quirked up in suspicion. Lin was right behind him and held a stoic face.

"Oh, it's nothing," Madoka lied. Her mood changed and she looked so innocent. That was another thing I liked about her. She could always keep a secret- when she wanted to, at least. But, hey, she was part of the SPR family, and I loved her like a sister.


	11. An Act of Jealousy

**Ch. 10 An Act of Jealousy**

You know how I said Madoka was like a sister and I enjoyed her company every once and awhile. Well, I was wrong. She was just like Naru: You might regret ever meeting her.

She was very helpful in some ways, but very annoying in others. She would not leave me ALONE! I could never get some decent time to myself without her popping up every five minutes asking, "May I get you something? Drinking plenty of juice is supposed to be very good for the baby" or, "Can I fluff your pillow for you. You'll get cramps if you down arch your back the right way."

This was going on for almost a month. It irked me to the ends of the earth (No wonder Naru hated being within spitting distance of that woman).

Too bad Naru was too busy to do those things for me. He would only do things for me if I asked him to whenever he was around, and then he would make a rude remark about my laziness (even though I was pregnant and I couldn't help being lazy). Naru wasn't much of a giving person, anyway. The only things he ever gave me were scowls and a smart attitude. Now that Madoka was here, I missed that. If only Naru's condo had a Jacuzzi; Madoka smothering me was more pressurizing than I thought.

One day, something strange happened. Madoka suddenly stopped helping me. Well, not that she wasn't helping me at all, but I didn't see her around. I finally had some peace and quiet. It was great while it lasted.

"Hi-hi!" Madoka greeted me that morning with an overbearing smile. "When was the last time you had a checkup, missy?" she asked. It was a random question, but it was no surprise she would ask about such a thing. I'd been stuck in the condo for a long time (almost a month), and it had been a long time since I had been anywhere, even at the doctor's.

The last time I was at the hospital, I was in the emergency room because a ghost attacked me and I almost had a miscarriage. That was probably the scariest experience I ever had (even scarier than when I was attacked by a psycho blood demon). Going to the hospital just became more terrifying each visit and I knew things would get worse from the moment I remembered my mother's death during that first visit. I didn't plan on going back any time soon.

"C'mon. You're getting a checkup today."

_So much for not going back_, I thought sullenly.

I had to think of an excuse not to go, quick. "Naru wouldn't like me leaving the condo."

_Perfect!_

"I already talked to him about it. He said it was fine."

_So much for depending on Naru._

If Naru wasn't a good enough excuse, then I had no choice. I was going to the hospital.

* * *

It felt weird going to the hospital for the first time in 4 months. I just hope I wouldn't see Dr. Yoshida again. For a doctor, she was very immature. I hoped I would get a new doctor, someone who was more professional and didn't have an attitude with visitors. And if he or she met Madoka, they better have a lot of patience.

We waited silently in the waiting room. To my disappointment, there were other patients. Fortunately, there were only three other patients sitting around, also awkwardly waiting for their turn. From across the room, I saw a boy with his leg in a cast sitting next to his mother. There was also married couple expecting a baby. They _planned_ to have that baby. Their condition was so innocent. Mine... it was a careless, hormonal mistake. It was practically rape.

Fifteen minutes later, they called for us. The clerk led us to a room and gave me a hospital gown to change into. I hoped the doctor wasn't some kind of freak. I took everything off, except for my bra and panties, and laid down on the examining bed in the room. "I'm scared," I said to Madoka.

She sat next to me and held my hand. "Don't worry. They're doctors. They know what they're doing," she reassured me.

"I hope so." I rested my other hand on top of my round belly and looked up at the ceiling.

_This doctor better be here within five seconds or else._

The door opened and a man wearing a white coat came in. He wore a sincere smile. "Hello, I'm Dr. Ichigo. I'll be your doctor for the rest of your pregnancy."

_Great!_ A _male_ doctor will be looking after me until this baby comes out. I wondered what Naru would think of that, if he found out or even cared. No doubt Madoka would tell him.

"Before we get started, Taniyama-san," he looked at his clipboard, "I'd like to ask a few questions. How long has it been since you last had a checkup?"

I didn't answer.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Ichigo," Madoka said. "My friend hasn't been near a hospital in quite some time. She has a phobia." I glared at Madoka.

"I understand. You don't need to be nervous around me, Taniyama-san. As your doctor, you should be able to trust me." I didn't look up. "Well, I guess the only way to know if the baby is healthy is to look at the ultrasound." Dr. Ichigo rolled a monitor from the corner of the room. He took out this tube from a drawer. "In order for this to work, I need you to lift up your gown so I can put this gel on your lower abdomen." I didn't hear anything after "lift up your gown." That made me tense up even more.

Madoka must've seen this because then she squeezed my hand. I felt like such a little kid. "Don't worry Mai. Just lift up your gown, close your eyes and it'll be over before you know it." I did as she said. The sooner the better was what I was thinking. I felt something cool on my stomach; it felt really good, almost soothing.

"Take a deep breath." I inhaled. "Good, Taniyama-san. The baby's showing on the monitor."

"You can open your eyes now, Mai. Look on the monitor. The baby looks so cute!" I opened my eyes and looked at the monitor. The ultrasound showed an unusual figure that looked too small to be real.

My baby.

I was close to tears. "Do you want to know the gender?" I shook my head. My voice was too quivery. I covered my mouth so no one would hear my sobs. "So far, the baby seems perfectly healthy. Nothing unusual. Keep eating healthily and drink plenty of fluids and the baby will be fine."

"I'll make sure she does."

"If you don't mind, Ms...?"

"Mori Madoka."

"Mori-san. I would like to speak with Taniyama-san alone for a moment."

"Good luck." I was unaware that Madoka left the room. I finally noticed she was gone when everything became silent. Dr. Ichigo handed me towel and I sat up to wipe off the gel on my stomach.

"I'd like to ask you one more question before you leave, Taniyama-san." I had a weird feeling about this. "Over these past few months, did you ever experience something wrong with the baby? Like a miscarriage?" Why did he have to bring up something like that? Now I felt uncomfortable. And I was just starting to like this guy, too.

"I almost had one... four months ago," I said hesitantly.

"Ah, there's that beautiful voice."

_Is he hitting on me?_

Either that or he was trying to console me, which was kinda working. "Since it happened over four months ago, I suggest you start your maternity leave early and be on bed rest. If you feel any serious cramps, you can come by the hospital early and stay over the night until the baby is born. Call me if you can't make it to the hospital, okay?" He handed me a card with the hospital's number.

"Okay."

"Come back in a month. Oh, and here," Dr. Ichigo handed me a picture, "this is the picture of the ultrasound, if you want it."

I looked at the picture. I began to tear up again. This was my baby. I held the picture to my chest. "Thank you."

"No problem. You can leave as soon as you get changed." Dr. Ichigo left the room. I stood there with one hand on my stomach and the other still holding the ultrasound.

* * *

"You should have been there, Naru. Mai was really scared," I heard Madoka argue with him. What was the point? Naru was too arrogant and prideful to tell the time of day.

We came back from the hospital later that night. Madoka wanted to take me shopping for some maternity clothes and other things I needed. We came back to face a very pissed off Naru.

"Then she shouldn't have left," he retorted.

"She needed to go. She hasn't had a checkup in months! There could have been something wrong with the baby." Naru didn't reply. Even I wasn't paying attention to what she was saying. I was still staring at the ultrasound. Lin set down a glass of water on the coffee table in front of me.

"Arigatou, Lin-san."

Lin nodded and went back to doing whatever he was doing.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter anymore. Dr. Ichigo can take of Mai better than you ever could, anyway." I could tell by the tone of her voice that she wasn't being serious. She was only trying to make Naru jealous. Her plan was failing, miserably. I almost felt embarrassed that she was doing this for me.

"Then Mai can live with this Dr. Ichigo." Naru sounded irritated. I didn't like where this conversation was going. I struggled to stand up and quickly went to my room.

"Mai?" I shut the door and got dressed for bed. I sat on my bed, still staring at the ultrasound. "Mai, come out. You still haven't eaten anything, yet." I heard her say on the other side of the door.

"Let her be, Madoka."

I didn't care that Naru didn't care. He wouldn't be Naru if he wasn't that way.

_But why can't you care just this once, Naru?_

* * *

_Grrrrrrrrrrrr..._

I woke up the sound of my stomach gurgling. I didn't have dinner and my stomach just reminded me, which made me feel even lazier. My round stomach made it hard for me to get up from the bed. Plus my fatigue didn't help at all.

After my entire struggle, I was finally able to reach the kitchenette. Heating something up would be too much of a bother, and it would wake the others. I just got a bucket of strawberry ice cream from the freezer. I didn't know Naru ate ice cream, let alone _liked_ it. It must've been for Madoka. I bet she wouldn't mind if I had some.

...

Scratch that. She _would_ mind. I nearly ate the whole container! Oh well, I couldn't be helped. I was pregnant!

Suddenly the kitchenette lights flickered on.

_Holy shit!_

"Just because you currently live here due to your condition doesn't mean you get away with everything."

I turned around and saw Naru. I noticed he was still wearing his black suit. Didn't this guy ever sleep at night?

"I'm so sorry!" I apologized. "I was just hungry, and-"

"It's alright, Mai." Did I hear right? Did Naru just excuse an opportunity to criticize me?

"Are you sure...?"

"Do you want a punishment?"

"Uh..." I didn't get a chance to answer.

Naru had me against the counter, so I couldn't escape. He had an iron-grip on my wrist. He pushed the palm of my hand against his mouth. "I shouldn't let you out of the condo, anymore. I don't want that Dr. Ichigo to take you away from me." The blood rushed to my cheeks. Naru _was_ jealous, after all. But the way he was showing it was weird. Naru started kissing my collarbone, and then he nuzzled his face against it. He suddenly slid his hands up my shirt and rested them on top of my belly. "So what did the doctor say? Is the baby healthy?"

"Since when do you care about the baby?"

"I have always cared, Mai."

"Since when? You've never given a damn about the baby!" I pulled away from his reach. "I think we should go to bed, Naru. We might wake the others-" Naru pulled me back and put one hand on the back of my hand and the other on my back. That hand went up my shirt and started massaging my back. I couldn't tell if this was a punishment or just ecstasy. Either way, it was still a bit creepy. "Naru, please let go of me. This is uncomfortable and scary." I desperately tried to coax him off of me. "Please, Naru. You're scaring me." Tears welled up in my eyes. This got Naru's attention.

Naru's body suddenly tensed up. He shot back and his eyes looked as if they would pop out of their sockets. "Mai, I... I didn't... I shouldn't have done that. I apologize." He quickly retreated to his room, leaving me there in tears.

I wiped my eyes and held my stomach; the place where he touched and interacted with the baby for the first time. That Naru- that _seductive_ Naru couldn't have been... _Naru_. The way he touched me, the way he talked to me- it was as if he was possessed.


	12. Secrets That Hurt Us

**Ch. 11 Secrets That Hurt Us**

Living with Naru just became more difficult. Ever since last night, I avoided being in the same perimeter as that narcissist. What if he became possessed _again_- if he was possessed in the first place- and the others began to wonder? I didn't want Lin to hate me more because Naru felt seductive toward me. And Madoka… I didn't even want to think about what she'd say _or_ do.

The way Naru acted last night- the look in his eyes, his composed breath, his sensitive touch- it was the same way he acted during the "Dream Incident". Maybe he was also possessed back then. If my hypothesis was true, why would the ghost possess Naru to… _impregnate_ me? It didn't make any sense. I needed more answers.

The only hope I had in getting any explanations was to fall asleep, enter my dream realm, and hopefully talk to Naru and coax him to give me straight answers. I wasn't going to let that stupid, mysterious ghost get in the way! _Never_ get a pregnant woman angry! Especially if her name is Taniyama Mai!

* * *

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_Great! This was just what I wanted. I was in a dream, which meant that Naru would eventually show up. Hopefully. "Naru!" I called. No reply. Great! Now I was alone._

_I noticed that I was floating above the perimeter of Naru's condo and SPR. I saw Madoka reading in her guest room. Naru and Lin were walking down the hall talking. I went closer to hear what they were saying._

"_We should have started this sooner. Do you think we're too late?" Naru said, still looking at whatever was in his black book._

"_No. We still have time to do the exorcism."_

Exorcism?

"_Good let's get Mai so we can begin."_

"_It may be too dangerous, especially since she's with child. Are you sure-?"_

"_We don't have much choice. The sooner the better."_

_I couldn't believe it. They were going to perform an exorcism on me, even if they were going to risk killing the baby! I had to stop them._

_Suddenly, foxfires appeared out of nowhere. They were in Naru's office and my bedroom. Now I _definitely_ had to stop them!_

~ _Dream End_ ~

-X-

I woke up on what appeared to be the couch in Naru's condo. I realized it wasn't very comfortable, and it made my back feel worse. Then I realized that didn't even matter right now. There were foxfires in this building! I had to tell someone.

I struggled to get up from the couch and waddled to the door. Naru opened it as soon as my hand was in reach.

"Naru…"

"Mai, come with me." He grabbed my hand forcefully before I could respond. I wanted to warn him, but my mouth was shut tight. Why was I still afraid of him?

We were already in SPR, heading towards Naru's office. I pulled my hand away. "Stop struggling Mai. I'll explain everything once we're in my office."

I wanted to yell, scream, do anything to tell him that going in his office was dangerous, but my mouth was still clammed shut.

Naru turned the knob and we entered the room. It was too late to turn back.

Naru went to his desk and Lin stood behind me. I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was as if the baby could also sense the danger. I put a hand over it to calm myself.

"Mai, I need to confirm something," he began. He looked nervous. "The ghost hasn't been near you in any way, has it?" No wonder he looked nervous.

_Do my dreams count?_ I thought._ Or your possession?_ I shook my head. Like I'd say those things out loud.

"I see," Naru closed his eyes and sighed. "Then it may not be too late."

"What can't be too la-?" I stopped in mid-sentence when something came into my peripheral. Something white and blurry appeared right above Naru. It was one of the foxfires. I was frozen with fear and I covered my mouth in pure horror to stifle a gasp.

"Mai, what is it?" I didn't say anything. My shrieking voice would probably make things worse. "Mai-!" I pointed up and Naru's eyes followed. He immediately went in front of me as if to be my shield.

The mysterious white vapor started forming into a ghastly apparition. Its eyes opened, revealing a menacing, red glow. It stayed in the air for awhile, but then it came closer then stopped. I noticed its eyes kept tracing back and forth from me to Naru, but it was mostly looking at me. And more specifically, my stomach. I held my stomach and started to quietly hyperventilate. I was so vulnerable- what was going to happen?

Naru just stared at it. He showed no emotion at all. The ghost did the same. Then he finally said "Lin..."

The Chinese man did nothing but nod. Naru led me out of the room, but kept his eyes on the deadly apparition in case it did something. We made our way out, but Naru was still pulling me. He led me to his condo. I still didn't tell him that there were more, but I didn't think it was the appropriate time to mention it.

We made it safely into the condo, where we saw Madoka sitting and watching TV. "There you are!" she said. "I was beginning to think you got kidnapped or something." I knew she meant it as a joke, but something bad did happen and now wasn't the time for jokes.

I sat on the couch and started taking deep breaths; my hand was placed on my chest to calm me. Tears brimmed from the corners of my eyes. "Are you alright, Mai?" Madoka asked concerned. I suddenly burst into tears. Madoka put her arms around me in solace. "What happened?" She turned to Naru. I couldn't see his response, but I did hear a grunt. "Where's Lin?"

"He's fixing a problem. He'll be here shortly."

And with that, we waited for Lin to return.

* * *

"This is getting serious," Naru stated. "These problems should have been solved sooner." He looked really frustrated. I just hoped he wasn't mad at me.

It was late in the night- about 30 minutes from when Lin came back from disposing that ghost. When he came back, I told them that there was another one in my room. It was a good thing that Naru always trusted my intuition. Lin got rid of that one, too. After that Naru wondered how I knew that. I told him about the dream, but I didn't go into detail. I especially didn't tell him I heard him and Lin talking about exorcising me at the risk of killing the baby.

"The ghosts seemed to appear at our most common roundabouts," he stated. "Takigawa's seal didn't last as long as he thought." I wasn't sure, but I could swear I heard him curse under his breath.

"No need to be so worried, Naru," Madoka said as she placed a blanket around my shoulders. "We still have plenty of time to solve this case."

"Hn," was all Naru said. Typical. He was always like this when he was mad. Or when he didn't get his tea. "By the way, Mai, are you sure you didn't see anything else in your dream?" I stiffened. His brow rose. He was on to me.

"H-hai, that's all I hear-saw!" I could still feel his eyes on me, as if he didn't believe me. Why was I kidding? He _didn't_ believe me.

"Mai…"

I hesitated for a moment, and then I gave in. "I heard you and Lin talking about performing an exorcism on me. A deadly one." I bent my head down and my hands clenched into fists on my lap.

"You were going to exorcise Mai?" Madoka asked in shock.

"We have no other choice," Naru said.

"'No other choice' my ass!"

"Mai!" Madoka exclaimed in shock. I knew it was out of place for me to use such language, but I was furious.

"You guys said the exorcism might kill the baby! I refuse to let you do anything as long as the baby is in my body!"

Naru face didn't show any emotion. I was afraid of what he was thinking. He finally said, "Fine. If you won't cooperate, then I won't do anything to help you."

"Naru-!"

"She's made her decision. I won't convince her otherwise if she is really committed to what she says." Naru went to his room after that final statement.

"Naru, this isn't right! You're not really going to leave Mai like this, are you?" He slammed his door. "C'mon, Naru! Mai, say something!"

I didn't reply. I just sat there in a daze. Naru was giving up on me. What was I suppose to say?

"Taniyama-san," Lin said. "You might want to rethink your decision."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Lin-san. I won't change my decision. I've made up my mind."

"You're at a vulnerable stage in your pregnancy!" Madoka exclaimed. "You're not safe without any protection."

"You think I don't know that!" I lowered my head. "I know Naru was just trying to help, but there are other ways to solve this problem. Besides," Lin helped me stand, "_you're_ Naru's mentor, why don't _you_ convince him otherwise?"

"Naru's as stubborn as a mule; it won't be that easy."

"Exactly." I shut my door. I knew there was no other way to fix this problem unless I got help on my own. I needed to think of another solution.

* * *

The next day, we got a visitor. Well, _I_ got a visitor. Last night, I made a couple calls. Since Naru wouldn't help me anymore, I would just have to do what I could to fix things without his help.

"Great to see ya, Mai!"

"Bou-san!" I gave him a bear hug.

"You got bigger," he said when he noticed the large melon that limited our hug.

"Nah-duh!" I stuck my tongue out at him. "I missed you."

"Yeah, same here. When the other two heard your voice on the other end of the phone, they practically attacked me just to talk to you. Well, Ayako did, anyway. You know how she is." I laughed. Knowing Ayako, she probably planted a few bruises on Bou-san just to get a hand on the phone. "You wouldn't guess how bored everyone is without you. I'm surprised Naru didn't want me here sooner."

"Eh-heh, yeah…" I didn't tell him that Naru didn't advise him to be here. And I didn't necessarily tell the others I would call Bou-san, either. But when I told him I needed his help, he didn't bother to hear the details. Since he didn't hear everything I said, everything was straightforward.

"Hm…" Bou-san put on his thinking face. He was up to something.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you remember that case we had at that school with the Kasai Panic?"

"…Oh yeah, I remember that. Everybody was freaking out because someone was cursing them." That was probably one of the scariest and somewhat wonderful experiences in my life. When me and Naru were stuck in that manhole… _Oh man_. "I also had that dream about the foxfires…"

"Exactly, there might be someone out there who made you and Naru each a _hitogata_. But only a very experienced _onmyoji_ like Lin can summon something that powerful for his _shiki_ to destroy. That or a morally uncleansed site-bound spirit. Or even a demon."

It was as if I had the wind blown out of me. My butt fell on the couch and I held my face in my hands. Someone out there, either with PK-LT or some kind of _omniyoji_, hates me enough to torture me into this havoc. I don't know what I did to deserve this, but I'd do anything to fix this uncivilized engagement.

"Everything will be fine, Mai," Bou-san patted my head. "I'll do everything I can to make sure you and Houshou Jr. are safe."

"_Houshou Jr.?_"

"Yeah. This baby will be honored to have this name. I'm going to be his-"

"Her-"

"-role model."

"Any simple-minded person knows that any other name is better than _Houshou_." Bou-san frowned and I laughed. Suddenly, Madoka came into the room to see what all the commotion was.

"Why's Bou-san here, Mai?" She didn't sound too happy to see him.

"I asked him to come here. If Naru's giving up on me, then I might as well handle the situation myself."

"Wait, you didn't tell them I was coming?" Bou-san frowned at me. "And what do you mean 'Naru's giving up on you'?"

This plan wasn't really going where I was hoping it would go. And to make matters worse, Naru and Lin popped into the scene. "Why's Takigawa here?" they asked simultaneously.

Bou-san frowned at him. "Mai called me."

_Thanks, Bou-san. Thanks a lot._

"Mai..." Naru said in a warning tone. Lin and Madoka exchanged glances, preparing to face what would happen next.

"Well... what did you expect me to do? You give up on me, so-"

"I didn't say I was giving up on you Mai."

"It sure sounded like it!"

The room suddenly began to shake. Everybody was in a panic but mostly Lin. Naru was holding his head again. I was the only one who didn't notice. I was too busy yelling at him.

"Mai-" He called my name. I ignored him.

"If you really wanted to help me, you shouldn't have left!"

The shaking grew.

"Mai-"

"For a moment, I actually thought you really cared! But now I know not to trust such a deceiving, egotistic, arrogant-"

"-MAI!" I stopped when I finally realized what was going on. My round body fell, but then Bou-san caught me. I looked at Naru. He was in excruciating pain. And I was causing it. And I didn't even know _how_!

_I'm sorry..._

...

"I'm sorry..."

...

"I'M SORRY!"

Stillness. It was finally over.

"Are you okay, Mai?" Bou-san asked. I nodded. I was too stunned to speak.

As Bou-san helped me up, I looked over to Naru. Madoka and Lin were helping him up, and he still had his hand on his forehead. Madoka removed his hand so he could see it. It was burning hot-red. I caused that injury. If I didn't yell at Naru, that wouldn't have happened.

As the tears began to fell, I fled to my room. "Mai!" I leaned against the door and sobbed. My knees sank to the floor, and I couldn't help but to belittle myself.

_I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..._

_I didn't mean to hurt you, Naru..._

_I'm so sorry..._


	13. Fallen

**Ch. 12 Fallen**

Things had become really hard after that little incident. I stayed in my room most of the time. No one came in unless it was Madoka bringing in my meals. I was so sick of this! Why couldn't this ghost or this person or whatever it was just go away? I didn't do anything wrong! Not that I knew of, anyway.

Bou-san never went back to the apartment. He stayed here to make sure I was fine. Since I barely left the room, Bou-san had to make sure I was doing alright. The only time I was out was when I had another appointment with Dr. Ichigo. He was really kind and I needed all of that cheery goodness, even if it was fake. If only Naru would smile like that…

"Come on, Mai. Staying in your room can't be healthy for you."

"I don't care." Since the ghost already knew where I was, it didn't matter if there was a seal of protection.

"Mai, I'm not afraid to kick this door down. Just open up so we can talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Mai..." I heard footsteps on the other side.

"Don't bother, Takigawa-san. You know how persistent Mai is." That sounded like Madoka.

I heard Bou-san sigh. "Well, if by chance you're ready to talk, you can just come out here."

_Fat chance..._

I felt a pain in my stomach. The baby kicked. I knew I should've been excited; the baby's kicks proved that she was alive and well. But these had been sad times for me. For all of us. I think the baby was just trying to make me feel better.

I rubbed my pregnant stomach softly. "Nearly one more month, baby, and you'll be free. I know how much you want to get out and see Mommy and Da-" I stopped. It wasn't likely that Naru would actually want to see the baby once she was born: to hold her, to play with her... It made me sad thinking about something like that. The baby was going to grow up without her father.

I had been alone for most of my life; I wasn't going to let the same thing happen to my baby!

"I promise I'll protect you and love you twice as much then your impudent father..." I said before falling asleep.

-X-

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_I stood there, looking over my baby in her cradle. She was so adorable._

_"I'm never letting you go," I said to her. She just giggled and wriggled her arms at me. I took her out of her crib and rocked her to sleep._

_Suddenly, Naru and Lin walked into the room. His eyes were blazing. "Naru?" He went over to me and slapped me. Lin took the baby out of my arms before I fell on the floor. I held my swollen cheek. "N-Naru..." He continued to look at me. "What are you going to do with her?" They turned their backs and left. "Bring her back!" I struggled to get up, but my body went numb. "Naru, bring her back!" I trembled. I could hear her desperate cries; she was calling to me. Tears brimmed at the corner of my eyes. I couldn't contain my anger._

_"YOU MONSTER!" I was so upset. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't keep my promise, and it was all _his_ fault! "I HATE YOU NARU!"_

_Then a mysterious voice started laughing out of nowhere._

_Suddenly, the scene changed. I was in surrounded by many terrifying spirits. One of them was the ghost that appeared in Naru's office. There was a really large one in the middle. It looked more humanly than the others. It was probably the ring leader, the one causing me all of this trouble._

_"You're filled with sadness, depression, and deep angst. And that is why you'll all die! I'll finally get my revenge-!"_

_A flash of light struck through the crowd of apparitions destroying all of them, except the leader. "You...!" It said. "I thought I got rid of you years ago!" Then I saw him. It was Naru, right there, his hands filled with awesome power, and he looked furious. He destroyed the ghost with one swing, and then turned towards me. I frowned at him._

_"How could you betray me..?" I hissed._

_"Mai, you need to wake up." His voice spoke to me calmly. He put a hand on my shoulder. I roughly shook it off._

_"Why should I listen to you? Why should I ever trust again?"_

_"Because, if you don't, the baby will die."_

~ _Dream End_ ~

-X-

I woke up in a cold sweat. I put my hands over my mouth to prevent my screams from coming out. That dream was so complex.

The thing causing all of our troubles was that sight-bound spirit in my dream. Then there was Dream Naru and that other ghost. Or was it the same ghost? But they couldn't be the same because it was fighting Dream Naru. And if they are the same, why would it do this? Was this some kind of sick game? Why did it choose me and Naru? I didn't know what was going on, but I had a feeling we were the only ones who could stop it. I needed to tell Naru.

I got up, struggling, and opened the door. Bou-san and Madoka were watching television. They looked over at me.

"Look who finally decided to join us." Bou-san said.

"Where's Naru?"

"He and Lin are taking another case," Madoka answered. "He told us to stay here and watch you, and then he called the others to help him. He might call me or Bou-san in case he needs more help."

Dammit, it was too late to talk to him. I was going to have to tell them. No! I didn't know why, but I couldn't tell them. Not now, anyway. I needed to tell Naru first. We were the only ones who can fix this- the only ones who can save our baby (you heard me. I said _our_ baby).

"Is there something troubling you, Mai?" They both looked real concerned.

"No, nope! I'm just a little hungry. What do we have left in the fridge?" I quickly went into the kitchenette. I pretended to rummage the fridge. I needed to contact Naru and tell him. This was important. "Never mind! I'm going out!" I announced as I was grabbing my jacket.

"Out? But Mai-"

"Don't worry. I'll be back soon!"

"Mai wait-!" I didn't stop to hear Bou-san. I needed to contact Naru as soon as possible. I went to SPR.

As soon as I was in, I went into his office. It was a good thing Naru never locked the door to his office; he had too much confidence in his ways of security. I began looking for the address of where the case was taking place. The first sheet of paper on top of his desk had an address and phone number:

_1827 Cherry Blossom Blvd.33-8923-878_

I had no idea where that place was. It was too bad Naru didn't have a cell phone. He could afford all that fancy ghost hunting equipment, but _noooo_; he wouldn't take my suggestion of getting a friggin' cell phone! I called the number and waited. There was a deep voice on the other side.

"_Hello, this is the Shibuya Central Library. How may I help you?_"

_So that's where they went._

"Yes, um. I heard that Shibuya-san is taking the case at your location. May I speak to him?"

"_Who?_"

"Shibuya Kazuya; owner of Shibuya Psychic Research."

"_..._"

"The guy that wears all black and has a narcissistic attitude, but looks like a big hunk of man-candy."

"_Oh,_ that_ guy. Is there something you need from him? Who is this?_"

"Um, this is Taniyama Mai... his girlfriend."

_What the hell is wrong with me? Am I _that_ desperate?_

"_Hold on. I'll see if he's available._" I waited for awhile. I swore that I could here a few giggles in the background. I probably embarrassed him. "_I'm sorry Ms., but he says he doesn't have a girlfriend._"

"Oh, he's just being modest. Please try again, and tell him that..." I froze. I felt a sudden chill. I had a feeling I needed to leave.

"_Hello? Ms...?_"

I went into the hallway. It felt much colder out here. Then it appeared.

Another deadly apparition appeared right before my eyes. I didn't know what to do. Using incantations would probably harm the baby, but I couldn't just stand there.

"_... dan kiri kiri kai!_" The ghost disappeared. Someone grabbed my hand and pulled me to follow them. "Come on, Mai!" Bou-san continued to pull me into the condo. Madoka was still there, holding the fort. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I... I just..."

"No excuses Mai! Why do you always have to do these reckless things? I thought you would've learned your lesson by now, but I guess I was wrong!"

I didn't know what to say. I hate when Bou-san gets mad at me. I knew he was just worried, but it made me scared. Even Madoka was worried sick. "I guess I'm too dangerous for anyone to be around," I said as I began to cry. "G-gomen..."

"No, Mai. That's not..."

I went into my room. I knew it. _I_ was the problem. The ghosts always went after me only because I was the most vulnerable. I couldn't do exorcisms or cleansings, or sense ghosts, and I didn't have that much knowledge when it came to the paranormal. My dreams might have been useful, but that was all I useful for. In reality, I was just a hindrance. I didn't even know why Naru recommended me to work for him.

* * *

**December 3rd**

It had been a week and Naru and the others returned from that case. It was a success from what I heard beyond the walls of my current room. They had been trying to drive me out of here, but I stayed leaning against the door and kneeling. I was so tired of this. I was close to the 8th month of my pregnancy. Everybody would probably be worried because of the winter season. I didn't care anymore. I mean, I still cared about the baby, but I didn't care if the ghost came back. Somebody would come and scare it away or destroy it.

It would be the same routine all the time, even after the baby is born. That would just be more risky. I wondered how they would solve this; I couldn't do anything else to make this easier.

I'd been in my room for days and I only went out to go to the bathroom. Madoka would send meals to me regularly. I couldn't wait for the baby to come. I felt so tired and useless. And bored.

...

I felt that chill again. I held my stomach. The baby kicked again. "Everything will be alright." I wasn't sure if I was talking to myself or the baby. I just panicked.

"Mai, can you come out now?" Madoka asked. Like I wanted to go out there and confront Naru. I felt the chill again. Maybe I should've reconsidered...

"Mai, this is important. You need to come out," Bou-san said.

"I'm fine in here!" I clutched my head. The ghost appeared. I couldn't do anything.

I lost it.

"NO! GO AWAY! GO AWAY!"

"Mai, what's happening in there?"

The ghost came closer. "STOP! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Masako, do you feel anything?" That sounded like Naru.

"There is a deadly spirit in there." Masako was here? I guess that meant everybody else was here, too.

"We need to get her out of there, now!"

I kept screaming. The ghost was close enough to attack me.

_Someone help me!_

"_Mazakadan banzura darakan...!_" was all I heard before everything went black.

* * *

I felt something cool on my forehead when I woke up. The room seemed brighter than usual. I touched my forehead. There was a damp cloth there.

"She's waking up," I heard someone say. Something blurry came into view.

"Are you feeling okay, Mai?" I gently nodded. I felt dizzy.

"What... happened?" I asked. My voice was a little hoarse.

"You fainted from being over-stressed. Bou-san was able to get rid of the ghost before it got to you. You're lucky you're not in the hospital." I could recognize the voice as Ayako's. I saw how worried she looked. I hadn't seen her in months, so she was concerned.

I tried to sit up on what seemed to be the couch. "Don't stress yourself. You might go into an early labor."

"I'm fine." It still hurt to talk. Thankfully, someone handed me a glass of water. "Arigatou," I said. I quickly drank it all.

"No problem, mate." John. I never felt so happy to see him. I wanted to get up and hug him, but my round belly and my fatigue prevented me from doing that. I looked around to see everybody else. Yasu was right next to the couch. He smiled, awkwardly. Seeing me like this probably shocked him the most. I hadn't seen him in an awful long time. I looked in the kitchenette. Bou-san, Masako, Madoka, Lin, and Naru were in there, discussing something.

"What's going on?"

Ayako and John looked at each other, and then Ayako answered, "You'll find out soon."

The group in the kitchenette was done discussing and came in the den. Bou-san and Madoka looked relieved that I was okay. Masako gave me a hard stare. Lin and Naru looked as stoic as usual, only Naru didn't give me a single glance. He kept looking in that mysterious black book. He then closed the book and said, "Let's begin."

They removed all of the furniture in the den, so we could have room to do an exorcism. I had to kneel in the middle of the floor while Ayako knelt a few feet in front of me, reciting her chant behind a little potted tree. Naru stood to my right while Madoka knelt next to me with her hands on my shoulders. Everybody else was observing. Lin was looking at the screen around the other equipment they brought in.

"Are you going to be okay?" Madoka asked. I nodded, even though I was a little nervous. But I assured her I would be fine, so she joined the rest of the crowd.

"Do you feel anything Masako?" Naru asked.

Masako glanced around and said, "There's a very faint presence in the room."

Ayako continued as we stayed silent, waiting for something to happen. I had an uncomfortable feeling about this. The floor squeaked, but it felt like nothing. Then it crackled. I froze with fear. The floor started to get lower. I began to shake in anxiety.

"Mai...?" Naru knelt down next to me to see what was wrong.

"... The floor... i-it's... moving..."

The noise grew louder.

"Naru, get out of there!" Lin shouted. But it was too late. The floor cracked a giant circle around me and Naru. Pieces of the floor started to fall, and I could feel myself descending along with those pieces of debris. Naru put his arms around as we fell. Then...

_**CRASH!**_

"_NARU! MAI!_"


	14. More Surprises

**Ch. 13 More Surprises**

I didn't feel anything. There was no pain, no blood, no sign that I was hurt in any way. I was just lying on my back with my hands on my oversized stomach. I didn't even feel the landing. I must have landed on something. Or someone.

Where was Naru? He should have been down here with me, but he was nowhere in sight. Everything wasn't completely pitch black, but I couldn't see anything in sight. Either I was dead or dreaming. Unless... I landed on him! My enormous body was probably suffocating him! I tried to sit up and find him, but I had no such luck.

"You're awake," a voice said. I looked to my left. There he was, kneeling next to me with no expression on his face. Well, at least I knew I wasn't dreaming. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But are we…?"

Naru heaved a heavy sigh. "No, we're not dead, Mai. You're very much alive and so am I." I sighed in relief. "But we shouldn't be."

_Thanks for killing the mood._

"What makes you say that? You should be lucky we're alive at all!"

"The floor to my condominium collapsed. We should have landed on the 3rd floor. But we didn't. I'm surprised you even came out unscathed."

_Jeez, he doesn't even sound happy about it._

But he was right. My belly was still round and plump, and there wasn't a scratch on me. Naru looked fine as well. I didn't notice it before, but it looked like we were in the middle of black and blue nowhere.

"What happened? How did we get here?"

Naru shrugged. (First time for everything, right?) We were alone. Again. Just like when we were stuck in that manhole. Only this time, I didn't feel too comfortable being alone with Naru.

I felt another chill. It wasn't an eerie and uneasy feeling, but I didn't know if I should ignore it. I had this feeling inside my gut that we shouldn't stay here. I tried to stand up, but I had some trouble. I felt a hand supporting my back.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to get up. We can't just sit here and wait for someone to get us. The others probably don't even know where we are." Naru helped me up from the ground or floor or whatever it was I was laying on, and as soon as I was on my feet, I started walking away.

"Mai, you don't even know where you're going."

"So. It's better than staying here."

He didn't say anything after that. To my surprise, he started following me. A couple of times, I would stop to rest. On the fifth rest stop, I fell to my knees.

"Mai, I think you need to stop," Naru advised.

"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired." I was about to get up, but then Naru's hand pulled me back down.

"Lie down and rest," he commanded. I was too tired to argue with him, so I obeyed.

I felt kind of relaxed lying next to Naru. He let me lay my head on his lap and he even played a few strands of my hair. It was weird, but at the same time sweet. He was never this gentle before. It made me kind of sleepy just laying there. But then I tensed up; his sentimental actions were a little _too_ strange. "What's wrong?" Naru asked.

"You're acting unusually kind to me. You're just like the Naru in my dreams, except you don't smile."

"In your dreams?"

_Oops. That wasn't supposed to slip out._

Naru smirked. "So, you dream about me? I knew you couldn't resist."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean? Leave it to you to kill this perfectly peaceful moment...!" It didn't look like Naru was listening to me. He was looking up, his eyes very stern. "Hey, Naru-!"

He quickly shushed to listen. I stopped and listened, too. I could hear faint laughing. Someone else was here with us. "Whoever's there, come out!" Naru suddenly shouted I didn't think that this person would listen to Naru. This person-if it was a person-could probably take advantage of the darkness and attack us. But by the sound of the laughter, this person didn't sound evil.

Suddenly, a faint glow of light came towards us. The closer it came, the clearer I could see who or what was laughing. It was a human, a very beautiful woman at that. She was wearing a midnight blue kimono with flower embroidery, and it looked little big on her because it slipped off her shoulders; the look seemed natural, though. She wore a black rose in her hair and a radiant smile. Her beautiful was envious to look at. I turned to Naru. He looked just as bewildered as I was, but the expression in his face was more like realization than pure shock. Did Naru know this woman?

As she got closer, I could see more of her features. Her hair was as black as Naru's. Her eyes were a dazzling blue, like Naru's. And the gleam in her eyes was just as beautiful as Naru's. Overall: She looked a lot like Naru.

She finally stopped in front of us, more directly, Naru. Her luminous glow helped me see in the dark. There still wasn't anything around. How she glowed was cryptic. Unless she was...

"_Hello, _Naru._"_ Her voice sounded so cherubic, both reverberating and harmonic at the same time. I never heard anything so beautiful. It sounded rather peculiar.

"Hello... Mother."

Did he just say mother? This beautiful, angelic woman was Naru's mother? Just looking quickly between the two, I could see where he got his looks from. But I thought Naru's mother was a professor, not this… whatever she was. What was she doing here?

"_You've grown so much,"_ she said as she placed a flickering hand on her son's cheek. "_You're just as handsome as your father_." Naru was completely silent. Why didn't he say anything? It sounded like he hadn't seen his mother in an awfully long time. I stayed quiet so I wouldn't intrude on this special mother-son moment. "_Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?_"

"I think you've met her before," Naru said in an incensed tone. The woman just smiled before she turned to me.

"_I'm sorry for being so rude._"

_You're apologizing for being rude? _I thought disbelievingly._ Naru's the one who should apologize to you._

"_We have met before, but it wasn't in a way either of us expected. I am Kazuya's mother, Shibuya Aoi. I am also the one who,_" she cleared her throat before continuing,"_'is making your dreams come true'._"

...

I didn't know what to say then. This woman, this angelic, charming woman, was the reason all of this happened to us? I couldn't believe it; she looked too sincere. "...Why?"

She gave me a forlorn smile. "_I know what I did seemed a little... inappropriate, but I did it to help you two. Everyday, I would watch my son working so hard to help others, but he was too consumed in..._" As she said that, Naru turned his back. What the hell was his problem? "_Then you came into his life. You were so interested in my son, and the only girl who didn't just follow him around because of his looks. You have a gift, one beyond ghost hunting, and it's going to make your life a little… challenging. I had to do something before-_"

"You were watching us? Does that mean you're...?" Her smiled turned a little more innocent.

"Mother, it wasn't any of your business to-"

"_I know, _Naru_._" She laughed. "_But I only knew this is the only thing that can bring you two together. Why couldn't I make it a little more fun?_" She turned back to me and whispered, "_You're special, Mai. Naru needs someone like you, and I was just doing what I thought was best. Besides, I had a little help._" She winked at me. What did she mean "someone like me"? And who was this "little helper" of hers?

"Excuse me, Aoi-san, but where are we?" I asked.

"_We're in a different dimension. This is the Demon Gate._"

"The D-Demons Gate?"

"Demon Gate," Naru corrected me. "It's what keeps the purified spirits and demons from running free into the world of the living. We're on the other side of the Gate right now." He turned back to his mother. "This is how you two tricked me and Mai, isn't it?" Aoi just gave another innocent smile.

I frowned. Even Naru knew who this mysterious helper was. Why was I always left in the dark?

"Then how did you get here?"

"_I have my ways._"

Suddenly, the ground started shaking. I almost fell, but then Naru caught me. "What's going on?"

"_They figured out you're here. You two need to leave immediately. Follow me._" Aoi suddenly transformed into a little perceptible light and flew ahead of us. I couldn't go as fast as Aoi or Naru, so I had a little trouble. Naru had to carry me and run in order to catch up to his mother. How could he move so fast with me in his arms? He was so strong.

Aoi stopped and turned back into her alluring self. Naru set me back on my feet. Then she put her hands together and mumbled some kind of incantation. A mysterious portal opened up. "_This is the only exit out of here. Be careful once you get out. It's still after you._"

What exactly was "it", dammit!

"Arigatou, Shibuya-san," I thanked her.

She shook her head and smiled. "_I'm just doing my job._" Then she turned to Naru. "_Take care of her, Naru. Oh and..._" She started to whisper something inaudible to Naru, and I saw his eyes widen. After that, he bowed.

"_Arigatou, Mother_." She kissed his cheek. I could swear I saw a tear in her eye and one in Naru's, but I wasn't quite sure. I felt that we shouldn't have left but we needed to.

We were on our way home.

* * *

Everything was different in the real world. Once my vision became clearer, I couldn't recognize where we were. The only thing I knew was that it was night. How long were we in the Demon Gate? We were in the middle of a road with no signs. It was near a cliff where I could see a shimmering lake. I just hope we were still in Japan. Naru on the other hand seemed perfectly calm. He started walking over to the edge, staring out into the distance. It was as if he expected us to be here. That must have been what Aoi was whispering to him about.

Naru kept walking closer to the edge; I was afraid he was going to walk off. I sighed when he finally stopped. He seemed really interested in that lake. "I found him. I finally found him," he said.

"Who did you find Naru?" I asked. He didn't respond. After a few minutes, he turned around and walked back to the road.

"There's a hotel nearby. I'll try to hitch us ride when a car drives by." I had a feeling there weren't going to be any cars driving by here anytime soon, especially this late at night. If only Naru or I brought a cell phone. But several minutes later, a car drove by and stopped next to us.

"Hey, are you folks lost?" This person was speaking Japanese. Good, we were still in Japan.

"Yes, can you please tell us where we are and..."

While Naru was talking with the stranger, I walked over to the edge to see what made Naru so... enticed.

Suddenly, everything turned green and I couldn't see a thing. The scene changed. I was in the middle of some street. The traffic lights were blinking and there wasn't a car in sight. Someone was waiting on the sidewalk to cross the street. He looked at least a year or two older than me. He began walking across the street; I had a feeling he shouldn't have done that. Suddenly, in a flash, a car drove by and hit the poor man. The sight of it made me feel sick.

The person who accidentally hit him ran out of the car. "Oh no. What have I done?" The woman quickly wrapped the damaged corpse in a blanket, put it in the trunk of her car, and quickly drove off. The background changed, again. The woman drove to the edge of the same street we were on. She took the body out of the trunk and threw it into the lake. "I'm so sorry..." After that everything went back to normal.

That was so overwhelming. I couldn't tell if that was a significant dream or a hideous nightmare. Is that what Naru saw? It was so intense it made my stomach churn. A sharp feeling suddenly erupted into my lower abdomen, which made me gasp in pain. A few minutes later, another one came after it. Then I felt something wet slip between my legs. Before I knew it, I was laying a puddle of water and blood, pain shooting threw my belly. Oh no:

I was going into labor.


	15. The Blessing

A/N: MAJOR SPOILERS (emphasis on 'MAJOR') for those people who haven't read the manga or seen the anime.

It's the moment everybody's been waiting for, so before you read this chapter, I'd like to thank:

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* * *

**Ch. 14 The Blessing**

"_AHHH!_" I moaned in pain. No one told me labor would be _this_ painful! The contractions seemed to last longer each time. I knew the baby would be coming soon, but I don't want to give birth in the middle of nowhere!

"Mai!" Naru came running over to me. He grabbed my hand and put another hand on my head. "Sir, is there a hospital nearby?"

The stranger who parked next to the road to help us shook his head. "The nearest hospital is about a mile away." I heard Naru curse under his breath. "I'll call an ambulance. It'd be quicker."

"Please do." Naru continued to caress my hand and my cheek. With each painful contraction, I screamed and squeezed Naru's hand. It didn't look like it hurt him, but I knew it did. "Mai, try to breathe."

When a contraction came, I tried taking deep breaths. I was really tired. The contractions came closer and closer. I hoped the ambulance would come in time.

I heard the siren and saw the red lights. Two men came with a gurney and lifted me onto it. Naru was still by my side as they put me into the ambulance. They started to put IVs on me and inserted anesthetic as they drove me to the hospital. I felt myself drifting off, and the contractions were making it harder to stay awake. The last thing I saw was the worried look on Naru's face.

* * *

_I was lying on the ground in a daze. The pain of the contractions was gone. But for some reason, I couldn't move. If I was lucky, I would see Dream Naru. But I didn't want to see him right now. I just wanted this to all end!_

_"Mai," I heard a voice. And there he was. He stood over me, showing off that gleaming smile of his._

_"You lied," I said._

_He heaved a sigh. "It seems I have. How much did our mother tell you?"_

_"'Our' mother?"_

_He blinked. "I guess she missed something."_

_I blinked. "Who are you?"_

_He took my hand and I could instantly move myself. He helped me up so we could walk and talk. "First, I just want to say I am not the Naru you think I am. I am Eugene, but please call me Gene; that's what they still call me."_

_"'They'?"_

_"Our adopted family. I'm sure you already met our real mother."_

_I was about to scream. He wasn't explaining anything to me. "Who _are_ you?"_

_"I am Noll's older twin brother, or Naru is what you call him. Our family calls him Noll, but sometimes I called him Naru since we're Japanese."_

_"'Noll'?" I needed time to take all of this in. Naru had a twin brother? That was older than him? Why didn't he tell us he was adopted? Did Lin know this? And if he did, why didn't either of them tell us? I thought we were friends and they could trust us. Why didn't I feel any more contractions? Most importantly, why was Dream Naru finally telling me he wasn't _Naru_?_

_"I know this is too much for you, but I never thought it was important to tell you who I really was until now."_

_"... I understand, sort of. But, can you explain to me further why you and your mother...?"_

_Nar-Gene closed his eyes and smiled. "Oh, I think Mother already explained to you. You and Noll are just… meant to be together. I knew he had a thing for you ever since you started working for him."_

_"Naru had a... thing for me...?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing._

"_Why else would he request a job offer such as ghost hunting to _you_? He could have asked anyone else, but he chose you instead. When it came to showing his feelings... well, you know how he is. But I could see Noll had a harder time hiding his feelings every time he would tease you."_

_"How could you tell?" It seemed interesting to know Naru had some weak spots._

_"Well, whenever you'd make Noll his tea, he would sometimes..."_

_..._

_Oh... my... God...!_

_I never knew Naru was such a pervert!_

_"You really are Naru's brother!" He laughed. I decided to change the subject. "It must have been nice to see your mother again."_

_He smiled contemplatively. "It was. The last time she saw us when she was alive, we were merely infants. We lived at an orphanage for 5 years. Noll and I were always together and the other kids would stay away because we accidentally caused poltergeists. Then Luella and Martin adopted us." He chuckled. "It feels weird to call them by their first name. For most of my life, I called them 'Mother' and 'Father'."_

_I knew how he felt. I missed my parents. I only knew them for a short while. But Naru and Gene never knew their mother. They were only infants when she left the world. And their father... It' was just so sad to think about. I wonder if Aoi or Gene ever met my parents._

_"When we met your mother, Naru didn't seem happy to see her at all."_

_"You know how Noll is. He would never show his feelings, not even in front of our adopted parents. I think he was just upset that his brother and his mother put you two into a pretty uprising predicament. When we tricked the two of you, we never thought it would bring on this much attention. A powerfully corrupt spirit immediately came after you when you conceived."_

_"My pregnancy is that much of a big deal?"_

_"Hai. In fact, you're still in danger."_

_"I am?"_

_He nodded his head solemnly. "But as long as you're in the hospital, you're safe." The background began to change. The next thing I knew, I saw myself laying in a hospital bed. Naru was sitting in a chair next to me. I saw sweat coming down his brow._

_"I think you better wake up."_

_"I think you're right." I faced Gene and smiled. "It was nice to meet you, Gene." I kissed his cheek. "When can I see you again?"_

_"Whenever need to talk to me." He touched my stomach. "My little brother's been alone for awhile, and I don't want that to happen again. This baby is a blessing. I know it will help you two because I know how much you love each other. Please, I don't want my little brother to be alone again."_

_"But what if-"_

_"Naru would never abandon you; he loves you too much and I know he'll love your child. This baby will keep you two together. I know it. Please, believe in him." He kissed my forehead. "Please..."_

_I nodded. "I promise. I'll try to make it work for us."_

_"Arigatou..."_

* * *

When I woke up, light shone in my eyes. As my eyes readjusted to the lights, I looked at my surroundings. The walls were white. There was a clipboard on the wall above me. Next to me, I saw Naru in a chair asleep. The contractions came back, but they were minor. They must have given me some medicine to calm them down.

"Naru..."

His eyes fluttered a bit before he was completely awake. "Mai..." His voice sounded hoarse. "How are you feeling?"

"I can still feel contractions... Other than that, I'm fine... How long was I asleep?"

"Two hours."

_Two_ _hours?_ "...Where are we?"

"We're in the Ebara Hospital."

_Ebara! That's very far away from Shibuya!_

"How we going to get back home?"

"Don't worry about that right now. How far away are your contractions?"

I grimaced in pain as another came. "Not very far."

Naru suddenly stood from his seat but then I grabbed his sleeve before he could leave. "Don't leave me alone," I said with pleading eyes.

"..." He sat back down and grabbed my hand. "How am I supposed to get the doctor to make sure you're okay if you won't let me leave, Dummy?"

I frowned at him. "There must be a button that can call the doctor." I struggled to sit up, but it hurt too much. Naru forced me back on my pillow and pushed the button himself.

"Don't strain yourself, Mai. The doctor will be here soon to see your progress. Just relax until he gets here."

_Jeez, he sounds like a nurse._

I put my hands on my stomach. The baby's kicks didn't make my contractions feel and better. "Just wait a little longer, sweetie," I whispered to my stomach. "You'll be out soon." Another contraction came again and I took deep breathes to lessen the pain. This damn doctor had better come soon!

Naru put my hand into both of his hands again. "Breathe, Mai," he said as he caressed my hand. I put my other hand on my chest and sighed. The doctor finally came into the room.

"How are we doing here?" he said as he came into the room. Great, another male doctor.

"I feel pretty... crappy."

He laughed. "I see. My names Dr. Urashi Daisuke. You're... Taniyama Mai, aren't you?" I nodded. "You're water broke a few hours ago, but you're not in labor yet."

"Ano... what time is it?"

"9:56," Naru answered. It was pretty late. I wouldn't be surprised it the baby came tomorrow.

"I examined you while you were asleep. It seems that you became overstressed which caused you to go into an early labor. In fact, you seemed a little underweight." Underweight? I never knew my health was so terrible! The baby was suffering, and it was because of me.

"I-Is the baby going to be alright?" I asked. My voice was tremulous.

"Don't worry. I gave you some vitamins. The baby's completely healthy. I just want to see your progress and we'll see what we'll do from there." He lifted the sheet to see my progress. I pulled the sheets hesitantly. I wasn't too comfortable having this guy look at my... _genital area_. Naru pulled my hand back.

"He's just checking your dilation, Mai. He'll be done soon," he tried to console me. If felt kind of weird, considering the condition we were in. I relaxed a bit as Dr. Urashi checked me.

"Thirty-six centimeters to go until this little guy comes into the world."

"Thirty-six...?"

"Or sooner. Premature labors are unpredictable. If you feel anything strange, just call." He left with a smile. He reminded me of Dr. Ichigo.

"What do you feel now?" Naru asked.

"The contractions are closer, but I think I'll be fine."

"Then relax. Wake me if you feel any pain." Naru sat back in his chair, but he continued to hold my hand. As he drifted off, he held my hand tighter.

10:15; I was tired but I couldn't fall asleep. I couldn't stop thinking about what Gene said to me. Tonight was really full of surprises. This must have been the kind of stress Dr. Urashi was talking about. Now I really couldn't wait for the baby to come.

My wish came true about 30 minutes later. I felt the baby urging to slide through my legs. I needed to wake Naru. But Naru wasn't beside me. Dammit, why didn't I realize Naru left? That bastard!

Suddenly, Dr. Ichigo and two other nurses quickly came into the room wearing scrubs. Dr. Ichigo set up my legs and looked again. "She's completely dilated. We need to start now." He got into position as if ready to catch a football. I really wanted to kick that guy! I mostly wanted to kick Naru for not being there for me. That bastard! "Okay Mai, on my command, push."

"O-Okay!"

"1... 2... 3... PUSH!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I squeezed the side of the bed. It hurt like hell!

"Again, push!"

I screamed so loud I could break glass. I could feel something wet and uncomfortable slide through my vagina. Why did it have to take so much effort to bring a baby into the world?

It felt like hours and we were still at it. Why was it taking so long? Suddenly, the pain became too sharp. Something was wrong. I doubled over in pain. It was too unbearable. I saw the doctor trying to call my name, but I couldn't hear him. I held my stomach and pulled the sheets. Everything was turning dark.

Then everything became silent.

* * *

I woke up in a different room. There was an oxygen mask on my face. My eyes were teary. I couldn't remember anything from last night

I tried to move my arms, but they felt heavy. I was finally able to use one hand to remove the oxygen mask and the other to put one hand on my stomach. It felt smaller. What happened to my baby?

I turned my head. All I saw was the treacherous bastard who wasn't there for me when I was giving birth! How could he? I kind of wouldn't blame him because the experience was extremely gross and excruciating, but still, I was scared and in pain. Not to mention all the lies! Well, they won't lies; he just didn't tell me, but it was the thought that counted!

All I wanted to do was scream in his face. I couldn't, though, because my voice was already hoarse as it was. But then I saw what was in his arms. He was holding a pink bundle in his arms. I couldn't believe what I saw.

"Naru...?" He looked up. His eyes looked at me with a passion I'd never seen before. "Is that...?"

He nodded. "A baby girl. Seven pounds, four ounces. Born at 12:00 midnight. They had to do a C-section because you passed out. The umbilical cord was caught around the baby's foot. Luckily, they got to her in time before she lost too much oxygen." I was right. It was a girl. My intuition was getting better and better. But it wasn't my psychic intuition; it was my motherly intuition.

I sat up to take the baby into my arms. Naru carefully handed me the baby. As soon as she was securely in my arms, I held her close to my chest. I pulled down the blanket carefully off her face. She was so adorable. She had fluffy, black peach fuzz on her head. She had Naru's nose and my soft, chubby cheeks. She was just... _kawaii_! No surprise considering who her father was. I wondered whose eyes she had.

I felt her move in my arms. She was waking up. Her eyes blinked opened, adjusting to her new world. Then I saw them. Those caramel brown eyes she had. My little angel.

I thought about what Gene said to me:

_This baby is a blessing._

I was beginning to believe him. This little miracle was going to change our lives. I would love her with all the fiber of my being. I hoped Naru would begin to start loving her the way I did. So I decided to name her

"Megumi," I said. "You're my little Megumi."

_Our little Megumi..._

* * *

_Megumi - Blessing_


	16. Welcome to the Nagusami Inn!

**Ch. 15 Welcome to the Nagusami Inn!**

December 4th. The day of my baby's birth. During the time I was in the hospital, I didn't see Naru around that much. I was glad we were released from the hospital a week later (I was lonely, not to mention the food sucked!). Naru wheeled me out of the hospital, while I held Megumi close to me. I couldn't stop looking at her precious face. She was just so... _kawaii!_ I didn't even notice Naru hauling me into a cab.

"Naru, where are we going?" I asked.

He didn't answer me. Typical Naru. I hoped he wasn't taking us anywhere that was too dangerous to take Megumi.

Later, we reached a train station. We reached a sign that had the name Numabe. Yep, we were definitely too far away from Shibuya. I didn't know how he got tickets, but he was Naru, so I didn't question him. I just hoped that this was a way home, or closer to home.

The train ride was long and it felt like days passed. I couldn't tell because I was asleep most of the ride. Megumi didn't even complain one bit. Naru took her away from me when I drifted off. I was glad for that because for some reason I was exhausted. Being in the hospital really stressed me out for many reasons, especially after having Megumi, so I was glad to have slept so long. I didn't know where we stopped, but that was where our train ride ended by the time I was awake. Trip was nearly over and done with.

We took another cab and didn't stop until we reached the destination where Naru was taking us. The cab stopped in front of this old, raggedy-looking inn. The walls were a pale gray like they were made of wood. I could barely read the sign. The theme was a traditional Western home, only bigger and a lot older. I assumed this was the place where Naru always ran off to when I was in the hospital.

Naru took my free hand and helped me out the cab. I tried to be careful with Megumi as I got out. As we made our way into the inn, Naru didn't let go of my hand. As much as I wanted to, I didn't struggle from him. Naru was up to something, and I didn't feel like getting on his bad side. When we walked in, we were welcomed by a seemingly nice, elderly woman (note the "seemingly nice" part). She wore a dull gray kimono with cherry blossoms on it. Her hair was tied in a messy bun with chopsticks partially holding the bun together.

"Welcome to my humble inn: the Nagusami Inn. I am Nagusami Hide. How may I help you two?" She held a creepy smile on her face. "Oh wait... I remember you! You were the nice young man who came by a few times before to arrange for a room. I'm guessing this is your wife and your newborn daughter."

"Hai."

...

_WIFE?_

"Congratulations, my dear. The baby's well, I assume...?"

I broke out of my trance when I realized she was talking to me. "Yes, she's very well."

"I'm glad." She gave me another creepy smile. I awkwardly smiled back. "Let me lead you to your room."

_Room? As in _one_?_

As we walked inside, I looked around the scenery. The theme was the same inside as it was outside with its sliding paper doors and pressed flowers. There were a few pictures on the wall as we passed. The frames were surrounded by more flowers. This woman must have been really obsessed with these carnations.

"It must be hard for you two, eloping at such a young age, and with a child, too. What love!"

"Yes, my father doesn't know of our whereabouts, so if you don't mind, we'd like to stay hidden here for awhile."

"Of course!"

_Eloping? Hiding? What exactly did Naru tell this woman?_

"Here we are! Gen! Gin!" Two beautiful young ladies suddenly appeared. They were wearing pale pink kimonos that also had flowers on them. They were identical to each other, except the one on the left had her hair in buns and the other had her hair down, with a comb in it. Both of them were staring at Naru the ways other girls always did. He didn't seem to notice. "These are my daughters Gen," Hide gestured towards the woman with a bun. "and Gin." They both bowed. "They will help you with anything you need. Now I hope you have a wonderful stay at the Nagusami Inn!"

"Arigatou." Naru bowed. I would've done the same, but I didn't want to crush Megumi. I just bowed my head and muttered an "Arigatou." Hide left with another bittersweet smile, and the twins followed her before taking another glance at Naru. How come I was the only one who noticed?

As soon as Naru opened the door, my mouth gapped open like a fish. There were two cots on the floor with one large sheet on top of it. This room was a honeymoon suite! Why did Naru have to pick this place?

"This was the only place I could find that would let us stay for free," Naru said bluntly, as if he read my mind. "If you don't want to stay here, you can always sleep outside, Mai." I frowned at him.

At the corner of the room, there were a pair of robes. They already prepared some clothes for us. There was even a pair of baby clothes. They were a little big for Megumi, but it was better than nothing, and I couldn't wait to get out of these maternity clothes.

As soon as I changed, I asked straightforward, "What were you thinking?"

Naru blinked. "Come again?"

"Why did you lie to that old lady? Why didn't you tell her the truth?"

"While she may be an elderly and trustworthy woman, that doesn't mean she wouldn't think it was suspicious that a pair of teenagers with a newborn child traveled all the way from Shibuya to Minemachi through the Demons Gate." He had a point. Minemachi was really far from Shibuya. That story did sound bogus. "Just play along until we go back to Shibuya."

"And how long will that take?"

"Not too long, hopefully. I contacted Lin, and he said he'll find some way to reach us." He didn't really answer my question. That was probably his way of saying he didn't know.

"Well, as long as we're here, I'm going to take Megumi and show ourselves around."

When he didn't even glance over at us, I left with Megumi secure in my arms.

* * *

Ever since Megumi was born, Naru never really interacted with her, except for that one time when he held her. That was the only time Naru actually looked like a father. A few times, whenever Megumi saw Naru, she waved her hands towards him, but he paid no mind to her. I wished Naru knew how much Megumi wanted him to be her father.

As we walked through the halls, I kept pointing at different objects and explaining to Megumi what they were. It didn't really matter since Megumi was half asleep, but I did it anyway just to amuse myself. As we walk through the hallway, I saw more girls who looked like Gin and Gen. They had different hairstyles and wore mix-matched colored kimonos with mix-matched flowers. This place was weird.

At the back of the inn was a lake with koi fish and trees encircling the area. It was so beautiful. I didn't want Megumi to miss out on this. "Look at the pretty fish, Megumi," I told her. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked at the lake. She giggled at the fish as they swam around. She was so kawaii!

"Is that your baby?" a voice said out of nowhere. I turned around to see a curious little girl in a white dress.

"Yes, she is." She smiled at my answer.

"She's cute! Is the man in black who smells like tea the daddy?"

My face flushed when she asked that question. Who was this strange little girl?

"Y-Yes, he is my husband." That word sounded alien as it rolled off my tongue. "Husband." Naru was my eloped "husband." I laughed on the inside as I thought about it. Like I would marry that egotistic son-of-a-

"Why did you two run away?"

"Hoshi! Stop bothering that young lady!" I turned my head to see another woman dressed like the others. She wore a jade-green kimono that, again, had white flowers on it. Her hair flowed down over her shoulders and she had a flower tucked behind her ear. She was just as radiant as the other girls, but her face showed less malice and more compassion.

"Yes, Okaa-chan!" the little girl named Hoshi replied before running over to her mother.

"I'm sorry about her. She's always curious about the guests that come to our inn. We don't get that many guests."

"It's okay." I wondered how they stayed in business if people rarely came. "I just hate being a bother. I just had this baby and we're on the run, but we can't afford to go any place else..." I felt like I was reciting lines from a sappy soap opera. I wasn't a great actress, and I was the worst liar in the history of liars.

"It's no trouble at all. My mother doesn't care if you have any money or not. As long as you use one these rooms, you can be a criminal for all she cares!"

We laughed. "... There aren't any criminals here, are there?"

"Of course not. My sisters and I make sure that this place is ship-shape before letting people stay here. This is our home, too."

"Oh..." I turned back to the lake. I didn't feel like having this conversation anymore. I felt like I was invading their home by staying here. I wondered how much Naru was willing to pay them.

I suddenly heard a whine come from Megumi. I rocked her back and forth to try and calm her down. "Shhh... it's alright, Megumi..." I gently whispered to her and she quieted down. I sighed. She could get so easily upset.

"You said your baby was a newborn?" the woman asked.

"Hai. She was just born a week ago."

"I see. As a new mother, you seem to have the hang of things."

"Yeah, well, I've had experiences with kids in the past." Usually during cases, I would always have to stay with the kids in case something happened. I was so good at my job, Naru made me do it all the time. I wished I could do more, but _Naru_ always made me do the grunt work.

"Well, if you want any help, just ask for Yuki. I'll be here."

"Arigatou, Yuki-san." I bowed (as best I could). She returned the gesture.

"Come on, Hoshi. It's lunch time."

"Okay, Okaa-chan!" Yuki took her daughter's hand as they went back inside. Megumi started to whine again, much to my displeasure.

"I guess it's time to feed you, too."

* * *

Breast feeding. It's one of the most awkward things you have to do when you become a parent. I was so embarrassed about it, I went to the bathroom to do it. Sure, if Naru was my real husband, I wouldn't have minded feeding Megumi in front of him (I'd still be quite embarrassed), but I was too agitated to even cover Megumi with a blanket and do it. I was just glad it was over so _I_ could eat something.

Hospital food wasn't satisfying (as I've mentioned before), and food from the Ubara hospital was no different. It might have been nutritious, but it was completely bland and gross. I was very grateful with anything they served here.

I asked Yuki if she could watch Megumi for me so I could try to have lunch with my "husband." If we were going to continue this charade, then we should at least act the part.

As I headed back to our room, I heard, "_-try to get it here as soon as possible._" Get what here as soon as possible? Who was Naru talking to? He sounded frustrated. So many thoughts entered my mind at that moment. I decided to intervene to see what was going on.

"Naru...?" Naru turned and faced me as if he was never mad, but I could still see the tension in his shoulders.

"What is it, Mai?" he asked.

"It's lunchtime. I was just wondering if you would like to come have lunch with me."

He was still looking at me, as if he knew I knew his secret. He was hiding something. "Did you feed Megumi?"

"Hai. For a newborn, she's quite a pig."

"If she's always so hungry, I guess you love starving her to death, don't you Mai?"

I scowled when he smirked. At least he was back to being the same old Naru.

Luckily, we didn't have to go to the dining hall to eat our lunch. Hide let us eat in our room in privacy, but I didn't know what privacy meant to her and her family because as soon as her two daughters Gin and Gen gave us our lunches, it took them awhile to leave. They were mostly "aiding" to Naru. They asked many annoying questions, and it especially irritated me when they asked if he wanted any "desert". Women who worked at convenient inns were so flirtatious!

I simmered down as soon as they left. I thought the point of flirting was to satisfy _all_ of the customers.

I stared in awe at all of the food on my tray. Onigirii with a side dish of rice! It wasn't a glamorous meal, but it was better than the cruddy hospital food! I gobbled everything up. Then Naru decided to comment, "No need to be a pig, Mai. You don't want bigger hips, do you?"

I scowled. I didn't need him to remind me of my weight! "Well, _excuuuuse_ me if I don't enjoy hospital food. You should try it sometime and see how I feel!"

"You think I haven't?" he said before taking a sip of his tea. His comment stopped me. I forgot about all the times Naru was in the hospital. Plus, what did he eat during that week when I was still in the hospital. He didn't have any money, so he mostly likely came here to get a free delicious, hot meal from Hide.

"Sorry. I'm just... tired. I'll just go straight to bed."

"It's a bit early for that, isn't it? It's only noon."

I frowned at the narcissist once again. "Shut up."

* * *

One week, one dreadful, annoying, privacy-deprived, distasteful week later, and I wanted to leave immediately. I didn't care if we had to live on the streets until Lin and the others could reach us! As long as I didn't have to deal with those irritating Nagusamis!

First, the G-twins wouldn't stop flirting with my so-called "husband!" Then more of the Nagusami girls started flirting with him, even when me and Megumi were with him! Then that crazy old fart always invaded our privacy whenever we were finally alone and away from those Nagusami girls. She would always intrude when I was changing (what the hell!) or taking care of Megumi. I wondered where all of the men were. It was like Naru was the only man they had seen in centuries!

The only person I could tolerate was Yuki and her 7-year-old daughter, Hoshi. I went to their room almost everyday, and Hoshi would play with Megumi (not in a way Hoshi can. Megumi was only 2 weeks old) while Yuki and I talked. I found out Yuki had a husband. He died, but she wouldn't tell me how. I didn't blame her. I told her my parents died when I was younger, and she had the same pity on me.

"You were alone before you met Kazuya?" I was going to ask her how she knew Naru's real name. I figured it was because of how often Naru came here when I was in the hospital.

"Yeah. It's a long story."

Since it had only been one week, we didn't know that much about each other, but she knew more about me than Naru did. Naru wasn't exactly someone would confide in, mainly because he didn't care most of the time. He was also really awkward to talk to. He never looked the least bit interested in what I had to say, and whenever I made eye contact with him, it was like he was looking into my soul. Yeah, it was creepy.

"So, how are you enjoying your stay here?"

I wished she hadn't asked. "Great! We don't know when we're leaving, but I guess I get to spend more time here with you guys. And I think Megumi enjoys it here, too." I looked over at Hoshi playing peek-a-boo with Megumi. She would giggle every time Hoshi removed her hands from her face.

"I know what you mean. Hoshi never had a real playmate before. I've never seen her this happy." The atmosphere felt awkward, so Yuki went to another topic. "So, you three are staying here for Christmas, ne?"

_Christmas! I totally forgot about that!_

I was spending so much time taking care of Megumi, I forgot about the holidays. I felt bad that Megumi couldn't go home for her first Christmas.

I sighed in aggravation. "Yeah, I guess we don't have a choice, huh? If we're going to stay here during the holidays, I'm gonna try to make this the best Christmas for Megumi."

Yuki innocently smiled and clapped her hands together. "How wonderful!" she exclaimed.

It was going to be hard to keep my promise to Megumi, even though she was unaware of it. If I couldn't get Megumi a gift, it was the thought that counted, right? Besides, it was hard to concentrate on anything around here when there was a bunch of antsy girls prying through our room looking for Naru's underwear (Actually, I've always wondered what Naru's underwear looked like. I dreamt him in black boxers... Forget what I just said!)!

If this was the Nagusami Inn, why did I fell so distressed?

* * *

_Nagusami - Comfort_

_**R&R!**_


	17. Baby's First Christmas

**Ch. 16 Baby's 1st Christmas**

Ever since I met Yuki, I went to her for anything I needed help with instead of her sisters, Gin and Gen. She was much more polite, and Megumi seemed to like her, too. Hoshi was also a pleasure. She would play peek-a-boo with Megumi, which turned into her favorite game. The only thing Yuki probably couldn't help me with was opening Naru's eyes so reality could hit him in the face and tell him he was a father (Sorry! I blacked out for a moment)!

The days flew by and it was already Christmas Eve. How time flew! This would be Megumi's first Christmas! And I had no money to get her anything!

"Don't worry, Mai," Yuki said to me. "Megumi was just born awhile ago. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you didn't get her anything."

"I know, but I still want to get her something special. If I don't, I'll feel terrible, like I'm the worst mother in the world!" I took things very seriously when it came to Christmas. It was my favorite holiday of the year! Since I didn't have my whole family to celebrate it with, I was trying to make the best of it. Yuki sweat-dropped as I panicked. Hoshi was playing with Megumi, both oblivious to my dilemma.

* * *

It was around 8:00pm and I was still trying to figure out what I could get Megumi for Christmas. Meanwhile, Naru just came into the room from doing whatever, still not willing to tell me his plans.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" He asked.

"It's only 8:12."

"You're still on maternity leave, Mai." I didn't understand why he was so uptight about my health. It's not like he cared about my physical well-being. And since we were _both_ still up...

"Hey, Naru. What do you think would be a good Christmas present for Megumi?"

"You don't have any money and it's too late to get her anything at all."

"Thanks for the help." _Smartass..._ "I mean if I _did_ have the time and money to get her a gift, what should I get her?"

"Why get her anything? You already gave her life a few days ago. I think that's more than enough for a winter baby."

_Hm. He may be blunt, but he does have a point..._

Like always, Naru was as huge help.

-X-

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_"Gene, why is your brother such an ass during the holidays?" Gene. I wasn't very adjusted to his new name... or his original name. I was so used to "Naru" or "Dream Naru", but it wouldn't have been right to call him that now that I knew this carbon copy of Naru was not as narcissistic as the real deal. And I wouldn't get confused this way._

_"Noll's been this way ever since he found out about my death," he explained. "Don't worry, if you keep your promise, I'm sure he'll change."_

_He gave me a sad smile. I smiled back, unsure of what I should do. We continued to walk on, not knowing where we were going. _

_"It's getting stronger," Gene broke the awkward silence._

_"What?"_

_"The phantom, it's getting stronger. But luckily, it doesn't know where you are at the moment."_

_"How?"_

_"I've been throwing it off with my PK. It won't be long until she figures out where you are."_

_I shivered. "Arigatou, I appreciate it."_

_"Consider it a Christmas gift. Now, go back and have a Merry Christmas."_

* * *

Next morning was Christmas day. I was glad Gene let me talk to him whenever I wanted to lift something off my chest. Thanks to "Noll", the only thing I had to worry about today was helping Megumi's 1st Christmas be something she can remember (if she's as smart as her father).

When I got up, Megumi was already awake and it looked like she was already fed, too. Naru must have fed her when he woke up. Today was already beginning to be filled with miracles. After I changed my clothes, Naru came into the room. "Did you feed Megumi, Naru?"

"She was crying when I woke up. I was surprised you didn't hear her." So much for miracles.

"Well, I appreciate that you took care of her while I was asleep." I took Megumi out of her cushiony crib and we were on our way. For a second, I thought about what Gene said to me.

_If you keep up to your promise, I'm sure he'll change._

How could I change someone as so damn arrogant as Naru?

"Meri-kurisumasu, Naru." I mumbled before I left. But I doubted that he heard me.

I carried Megumi to the back of the inn where the frozen lake was. It was snowing outside, which made the crystal lake shimmer. The perfect scene to start the day. "Look Megumi, snow!"

Megumi marveled the falling, fluffy flakes and reached her hand out. It was as if she knew what the snowflakes were. I let a flake fall on her hand and she giggled as it melted.

I walked to the lobby, where there a was beautiful Christmas tree. The lights twinkled, making the tree shimmer. "Isn't that a pretty tree, Megumi?" Megumi giggled as she tried to touch the lights.

"Meri-kurisumasu, Mai-chan!" a hyper voice greeted me from behind.

"Meri-kurisumasu, Hoshi-chan. Yuki-san."

Yuki bowed. "I have something special for you."

When we went to Yuki's room, I saw the special surprise.

"Aw, a basinet! You shouldn't have!" The basinet was a faded pink color. It was obvious it was already used, but it didn't matter to me. It was the thought that counted. "Thank you so much!"

"It's the least I can do for Megumi. I used to carry Hoshi in it."

I put Megumi in the basinet. She looked quite comfortable. "Megumi seems to like it, and that's all that matters. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it."

"My turn! My turn!" Hoshi chanted as she hopped around.

"Alright, Hoshi. Calm down." The rambunctious little girl ran off. "Hoshi has one more gift for you and Megumi, Mai."

Hoshi ran back into the room. She had a little, red, velvet box. When she opened it, I saw the most glamorous, dazzling locket I've ever lain my eyes on. "How did you...? Where did you...?" I stammered.

"Hoshi, where did you get that?" Yuki asked her daughter. It seemed like she didn't know what the little girl was going to give to me.

"I found it!"

"You mean, you didn't know about her gift?"

"No, she said she wanted it to be a surprise." Yuki knelt down to Hoshi's height and put her hands on her shoulders. "Where did you find it, Hoshi?"

"By the lake," she admitted bluntly.

"Are you sure?" Hoshi nodded.

"It was rusty when I found it."

Hoshi probably already knew to wash it before she would give it to me. But once something's rusty, you can't clean it. So the locket was probably really old by her description. I wondered how she made it so clean. "Well, thank you for my gift anyway, Hoshi." She smiled brightly.

I took it from her gratefully. On the front, there was an inscription, but it was faded and scratched. The back was blank. When I opened it, I saw another inscription. I couldn't read what it said. On the other side was a date: September-. I still couldn't understand it. This day was getting weirder and weirder. The chain was too small for me to put around my neck, but it wouldn't look right if I put it around my wrist. It was as if it was made for an infant.

_I shouldn't... What kind of mother would I be to put something like that around her neck?_

I did it anyway. It was loose, so it couldn't choke Megumi. It suited her.

"Meri-kurisumasu, Megumi-chan!"

* * *

Christmas seemed to go be quicker than expected. The day was average. I didn't see Naru all day. Couldn't he just give it a break and at least celebrate with us for Megumi?

Later that night, I was still steaming at Naru, and Megumi suddenly started getting restless. "Shh, shh. Calm down, Megumi. Please go to sleep." She was still at it. I tried everything to calm her down. The only other thing I didn't try was something that I was very self-conscious about, even if no one else was around. But I had no other choice if I wanted Megumi to go to sleep. I began to sing:

_Silent night_

_Holy night,_

_All is calm_

_All is bright,_

_Round yon Virgin, mother and child_

_Holy infant, so tender and mild,_

_Sleep in heavenly peace,_

_Sleep in heavenly peace._

Megumi started to snooze soon after I stopped. She was finally asleep. When I put her in the crib, I wondered what made her so upset. I already fed and changed her. She was such a sensitive baby.

"You have a beautiful voice, Mai."

"Naru!" I jumped when I heard the narcissist. He was leaning against the doorframe, smirking. "H-How long w-were you there?"

He didn't answer my question. He turned his back to me. "Naru...?"

"... Meri-kurisumasu, Mai..." He left without another word.

"Meri-kurisumasu to you too, Naru..."

* * *

_Meri-kurisumasu - Merry Christmas_

I don't know any Japanese Christmas songs, and "Silent Night" seemed to fit the scene.

_**Happy Holidays!**_

_**R&R!**_


	18. Secrets that Break Us Apart

I know that my last two chapters weren't that great, so I hope that this chapter is to your likings.

Now enjoy the one of the most dramatic chapters of "**Our Love Made Mistakes!**"

* * *

**Ch. 17 Secrets that Break Us Apart**

New Years. Another festive holiday season. Another season that made me so nervous. I wasn't sure what I was going to do this time. Megumi just _had_ to be born towards the end of the year. Luckily it was only 2 days away.

Naru was still a mystery to me. Every day, he continued to go out and do whatever he was doing for the past 3 days. Why was he hiding everything from me? Was he doing something that would make me upset? And why was Lin involved? Well, of course Lin was involved; he's involved in everything Naru does. I wish I knew what was going on.

Anyway, in preparation of the New Year, I did absolutely nothing this time. Instead, I showed Megumi what the Nagusamis were doing to prepare. Apparently, New Years was a big deal for this family. There were many decorations all over the place; it didn't look like an old, raggedy inn anymore. It looked more like a decorative, colorful hotel. Megumi was especially amused by the vibrant lanterns. The lights shown off her locket, which somehow looked shinier.

New Years Eve, Yuki and Hoshi were helping us get ready for the New Year celebration as well. She gave me one of her kimonos that she only wore on occasion. I didn't want to pry, but she insisted persistently. She even gave me some of Hoshi's old baby kimonos. She looked so _kawaii!_

For the rest of the day, I asked Yuki to watch Megumi while I searched for Naru. I asked around. No one had any idea where he was. He wasn't in the inn at all. I finally had to go out into town to look for him. My search ended when I found him by a telephone pole. I was guessing that this was where he went every day. How could he afford to talk on that thing every day?

"Naru-!" I stopped myself. His conversation looked a bit interesting. But I couldn't eavesdrop on him. That wouldn't have been right. But still, it would've been nice to know why the hell he was been hiding away from the inn.

"Lin, I know. But I need to do this. You know how important this is to me."

There was a pause.

"I know. I can't tell her. You know how straightforward Mai is. Her mouth is as wide as her temper."

_So is your ego, you narcissistic bastard!_

"I'm just doing what I think is right. They can go back with Bou-san and Madoka while we search."

_Search for what?_ I wondered.

There was another pause. The expression on Naru's face was turning angry. "Don't you dare bring him into this conversation! Just come with the equipment as soon as you can! My patience is slipping away." He maliciously slammed the phone on the stands and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Damn."

I didn't know being here was upsetting Naru so much. It looked like he was so oblivious to those annoying Nagusami girls, and it didn't look like he cared, either. Maybe Naru wasn't as ignorant as I thought. But still, why was he keeping his plans a secret?

"Hey, Naru," I said. He flinched a little. I guess I surprised him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. Why aren't you at the inn?" He didn't answer me. He wasn't even looking at me. He was still trying to hide his secret from me, I supposed. "What are you hiding from me?"

"There's nothing to hide, Mai. I can't make a decent phone call without someone interrupting me is all."

"LIAR!"

_Shit! Why did I say that?_

Naru turned towards me. "Can you prove that I'm lying?"

I probably looked like a complete idiot. Why did I have to accuse him even though he was guilty; Naru always found a way to make me feel stupid. "Uh… um… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. Let's just go." I dubiously walked back to the inn and Naru was following me, probably still thinking I was crazy.

* * *

It was lunchtime and Megumi was getting restless. I was fixing her lunch and wouldn't stop crying. "Okay, I'm coming, Megumi. I have your bottle right here. Just wait-" There was a loud beep, which made Megumi's crying worse. I accidentally dropped her bottle and the floor of the kitchen was a mess. "Dammit-! I'm sorry, Megumi. Mommy shouldn't have said that."

Megumi just cried louder and I didn't know what to do this time. I continued to make her lunch and set the bottle on the table to clean up the rest of the mess. While I was on the floor, I heard… nothing. Megumi's cries suddenly stopped. I got up to see what was wrong. Nothing happened. Megumi just had her bottle in her hands and was sucking the nibble.

…

How was that possible? The bottle was on the other side of the table a few seconds ago. And I swear, Megumi wasn't able to hold her bottle at all with her tiny hands. I took the bottle from her and she started to whimper again. Megumi's eyes turned green and the bottle suddenly flew out of my hand and into her small chubby ones.

I continued to stare at Megumi as she continued to nibble on her bottle. One thought was in my mind:

My baby had psychic powers.

I did the only thing a mother could do to handle the situation:

I fainted.

-X-

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

"_Mai,"_

…

"_Wake up, Mai."_

_I opened my eyes to see Gene, with a concerned look on his face. "Ow, what happened?"_

"_You fainted when you saw Megumi use her powers." Gene helped me to my feet. Then he started to laugh._

"_Hey! It's not funny! Megumi's just a baby. You'd be shocked too if you were there."_

_Gene stopped laughing. "Actually, I was there. And I wasn't as surprised as you were. I'm the one who gave her those powers."_

_I looked at him with disbelief. "You gave her those powers?"_

"_Well, actually, her powers are hereditary, so most of them were from Naru and my genes since you don't have any PK powers, only ESP. That's really rare. Not that many people inherit psychic powers from their parents."_

_"Are you saying most people get their powers randomly?"_

_"Basically."_

_I had a lot to think about. Like Naru's reaction if he ever found out Megumi had PK powers. And what he would do. He wouldn't put tests on her, would he? She was just a baby. And what about Naru's secretive phone calls? Maybe Gene knew. "Uh Gene. I have to ask you something."_

_"Shoot."_

_"Naru's planning something, but he won't tell me anything."_

_"And you're asking if I know anything about it." I nodded. It seemed like a very long time before he responded. "Have you ever wondered why Naru came to Japan in the first place?"_

_What' was he talking about? "You mean, you and Naru aren't from Japan?"_

_"We are, but the people who adopted us were English, so we had no choice but to go with them to England. Then I died."_

_"What does that have to do with Naru's phone calls?"_

_He didn't answer. I was guessing this was the part when we departed from each other, and I would have to figure out the rest on my own. Gene started to slowly disappear, and then darkness._

~ _Dream End_ ~

-X-

"Mai, wake up." Something flicked my forehead.

"Ow! What the heck…!" I quickly sat up, but that wasn't so smart. I started getting dizzy. Naru caught me by my shoulders.

"Don't sit up so fast, dummy."

"Thanks for the tip." I realized I was in our room. "How did I get here?"

"I carried you here, obviously."

I scowled. Then I realized something was missing. "Where's Megumi?"

"Calm down, Mai. She's right over there." He pointed to Megumi's crib, where she was sound asleep. I sighed in relief. Then I realized something else.

"She didn't do anything weird, did she?"

"What are you talking about?" From his clueless reaction, I knew that he didn't know about Megumi's abilities yet.

"Oh, nothing. Did she have her lunch?"

"She was already fed. What made you faint?"

I didn't know how to answer his question. I wasn't just going to say, "Oh nothing, it's just that I found out that our nearly month old baby has psychic powers."

"Mai." He was becoming impatient.

"I was just working too hard. Nothing else."

He didn't look convinced, but then he said, "Well, try not to work so hard next time." He flicked my head again and I _hmph_ed. As soon as he left, I ran to Megumi's crib. I couldn't help but stare in awe at how cute Megumi was in her sleep. She was unconsciously gripping her blanket with a pacifier in her mouth. _Kawaii!_

She suddenly started to stir and opened those big, cute, hazel eyes of hers. "Hi, honey. Have a nice nap?" She waved her arms at me, wanting to be picked up. I took her into my arms and she started speaking that baby babble of hers.

"I wonder what your father would do if he ever found out about your powers. It'll be our little secret, okay?" I put a finger on my lip and she mocked me, only she had her whole hand up to her mouth. "That's my girl."

* * *

New Years Eve. I was still hung up about all these secrets. But if Naru wasn't going to confess to me, then I wasn't to going to confess to him. An eye for an eye and a secret for a secret.

Today was frantic for everybody in the Nagusami family inn. Soon, this place would look like a decorative birthday cake. I didn't want to get into anybody's way, so I stayed at in my room. Unfortunately, so did Naru.

"So, you finally decided to stay?"

"I had no choice. Some of the girls were blocking the exit."

_Bastard._

"Well, if you don't mind, can you turn around so I can put on my kimono."

"Since when do you have a kimono?"

"I'm borrowing it from Yuki."

"Another one of those Nagusami girls?" he asked. I noted the venom in his tone.

"She's not annoying," I retorted. "She's actually very nice. She has a cute little girl named Hoshi." It didn't sound like he was listening. This was probably one of the most awkward conversations we ever had. I didn't even realize I was almost done putting on my kimono. "I'm done. You can turn, if you want."

When he turned around, I couldn't explain the expression on his face. "Well what do you think?"

"... It looks fine."

"…"

_"It looks fine?" That's all he has to say? "It looks fine?"_

"T-Thanks." Why was I so surprised? This was Naru. I shouldn't have expected much of a compliment from someone like him. I wondered how he ever survived coming to Japan. He was so anti-social. Not much of a complimenter, too much of a critic. I think he needs a few lessons in social studies.

"Hey, Naru. How about you come with me to this festival nearby."

"What?" He looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language.

"You. Me. Festival. Tonight. Fireworks. All of that good stuff. I'll leave Megumi with Yuki and Hoshi and then we can go, just the two of us."

Naru gave me a strange look, so when he answered, I didn't expect him to say, "Alright."

"... Really?"

"Yes. I'll come with you to the festival tonight."

"A-Alright. I'll see you tonight." I was shocked. I didn't expect him to say yes. I mean, he was... Naru. He only went on dates with Masako. I wonder what it was going to be like. Going on a date with Naru.

...

_I'm going on a date with Naru!_

* * *

"Whoa." I didn't expect Naru to wear anything but his black suit. But what the hell was I thinking? He was wearing a midnight blue kimono with golden linen at the sleeves. He was hot.

"Stop drooling Mai."

"Where'd you get the kimono?"

"I'm borrowing it. You're not the only one who has met Yuki. She let me borrow her late husband's old kimono that he wore on occasion."

"Oh..." It must have took a lot of guts for Yuki to let Naru borrow her husband's special kimono. She must have thought Naru was something special.

"Come on. Let's go." I followed Naru off into the crowd.

Our first step into the festival, and the girls started laying on him. A few of them shot dirty looks at me. Then Naru did something unexpectedly random. He put an arm around my shoulder. It didn't seem like such a big deal, but it was big for Naru. It felt uncomfortable, then after awhile, I relaxed.

The festival in Minemachi was huge. Apparently it was the biggest celebration in this entire town. There was so much you could do: play games, eat, run around with your friends. But that wasn't what we did. During the festival, we didn't play many games, we strolled most of the time, and Naru discovered cotton candy. I was enjoying mine thoroughly. Naru looked at his as if he was expecting something to pop out and attack him. "Come on, Naru. Try it. It won't bite."

"... I've never had cotton candy before."

I gawked at him. "You've never had cotton candy before?"

_He's not human!_

"I don't eat sweets. Not even when I was a kid." I giggled. "What's so funny about that, Mai?"

I ripped a piece of cotton candy from his stick, then put it towards his mouth. "Now's your chance to try it."

He hesitated for a little bit, then he finally took the piece of fluffy candy with his mouth. The look on his face was so stoic. It was like he was lost in his little, weird world. After awhile, he continued to eat. I began to eat mine again, but then I spotted something.

"This night is so beautiful. It's perfect for the fireworks." I marveled at the crackling lights in the sky. Then I turned back to my cotton candy, which was on the ground. "Aw!"

I looked back at the sky. Something blue was blocking my view. "Here," Naru said. He gave me his cotton candy.

"But are you sure you don't want-"

"Take it." He didn't hesitate a second and handed me the candy. I ate as we waited for the fireworks to come on, together. "Thank you."

"What?"

"Thank you, for taking me here."

I smiled. "You're welcome." He was still looking at me. "What?"

"You have some cotton candy on your face."

"Oh, where?" I was searching my face for the stray piece of candy, but then something soft and wet was touching my face. Naru just licked my cheek.

"Mmmm..." he mumbled.

_Oh my God..._

We stared at each other for a long time. Then we heard the count down. The more they counted, the closer our faces were.

"5...!"

_Closer..._

"4...!"

_And closer..._

"3...!"

_Almost there..._

"2...!"

_Just one..._

"One! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

He stopped. Naru stopped when we were nearly there. We were so close! Then he cupped my face with his hand. "Happy New Year, Mai."

Naru walked away. I just stood there, dazed. I dropped the cotton candy.

Then I cried.

* * *

_**HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!**_

_**R&R!**_


	19. Confusion

**Ch. 18 Confusion**

It had been a month ever since that almost kiss happened. I'd been avoiding Naru, and I didn't even bother to follow him when he made those mysterious calls anymore. I was sure Naru would tell me eventually when he needed to. That would probably take a long time. But I still wasn't going to tell Naru about Megumi's powers. He was Naru; he would be able to figure it out himself.

I thought about this when I was taking a bath. I asked Yuki to watch Megumi for me. I needed some time for myself. I didn't feel as relaxed as I should have been. I couldn't stop thinking about that damn Naru! That night, when our lips almost touched-

"_AHHHHH!_"

I should have drowned myself when I was taking my bath. But no one else could take care of Megumi but her own mother! And of course Naru wouldn't take care of her.

I changed into a kimono, and then went to get Megumi. "Thank you again for watching her, Yuki."

"It's no problem at all," she said with a smile.

"Why isn't Megumi's daddy watching her with you?" Hoshi asked.

"Hoshi!"

"It's okay, Yuki," I said. Then I knelt down to Hoshi's size and explained, "Megumi's daddy is trying to find us a way home, so he's very busy."

"Okay!" And with that, Hoshi ran off to do whatever.

"Gomenasai, Mai. Hoshi shouldn't have-"

"It's okay, really," I reassured her. "Kids will be kids." I waved bye, then left with a sleepy Megumi. "Are you hungry, baby?" I asked her as we entered the room. I tickled her tummy and she giggled. Suddenly, most of the objects in the room began to float in midair. I stopped tickling her, but she was still giggling. Then she stopped and all of the objects in the room crashed onto the floor. I heavily sighed. "We can't hide your powers if you're going to continue doing that." I playfully scolded her. She just gave me that adorable look of hers and "gooed." I guess Megumi couldn't control her powers because she's a baby. Hopefully that noise didn't attract any attention.

"Mai?" I spoke too soon. "Mai, what's going on in there?" Great, the person I wanted to see the least.

"Everything's fine," I said, putting Megumi in her crib. I started to clean up the things that were broken.

Then Naru entered the room. "What happened in here?"

I really didn't want to explain to Naru. I was too annoyed to even come up with an excuse. He wasn't just going to comment on how dumb I was acting.

"Mai, why is that lamp broken?" he insisted again with an angry tone in his voice. If he was trying to intimidate me, it wasn't working. "Mai!"

"Nothing happened, okay!" I yelled back. Then Megumi began to cry. I threw away the glass then went to take Megumi out of her crib. I tried to calm her down, but she cried even harder. "Calm down, baby. Mommy didn't mean to yell." Then I thought her pacifier. That would probably calm her down. Where was it?

"Here," Naru said. He handed me Megumi's pacifier. I looked at him. It didn't sound like he wanted to calm Megumi down. It just sounded like he wanted her to shut up. I took it anyway. I put in her mouth and she stopped crying.

"Aa, thank goodness." I placed her in her crib for a nap.

"We need to talk," he suddenly said.

"There's nothing to talk about," I replied as I tucked Megumi with a blanket.

"Yes, there is." He pulled my arm out of the room.

"What the hell, Naru! I said I didn't want to talk to you!"

"Well I said we need to."

"There you go again! Why the hell does it always have to be _your_ way?"

"What are you talking about Mai?"

"I'm talking about all the time! It always has to be your way or no way! Just like on New Years…" I stopped there.

Naru didn't say anything. I was waiting for him to shut me down and say something that would boost his ego. Then he said, "I'm sorry." I looked at him in suspicion. "I shouldn't have left you there."

I guess I got my hopes up too high. "Is that all you have to say because I think you forgot some parts. How about 'I'm sorry for making you cry' or 'I'm sorry I'm such a narcissistic idiot'! Gosh! For a genius you really are dumb!"

"Mai, there's always the right time and the wrong time to do those kinds of things. I didn't think it would be right."

"It wouldn't be right to kiss me?" He didn't reply. "Oh, I see. Well, I'll just go. I wouldn't want to waste your valuable time."

"Mai, you're taking things out of proportion."

"How? It's perfectly obvious that I'm nothing but a waste of space and I should just go away!"

"That's not what I said."

"That's what it sounded like!" I quickly shut my mouth. I was being a bit too loud, and I was afraid I would wake up Megumi. When I heard silence, it was clear that I didn't. "Can you at least trust me enough to tell me why you have to make a phone call everyday?" When I waited to get an answer, Naru just turned his head.

"Who I call is none of your concern, Mai. Stop pretending to be my wife. We're not a real couple you know."

"Who said I was pretending! I _care_, Naru, but if you're too clueless to see that, I guess I was wrong. My intuition was wrong, everything I thought about you was wrong, and Gene was wrong!" I clamped my mouth with my hands. Naru's eyes were now completely focused on me. I knew I said something I wasn't supposed to.

"What did you say?" he insisted.

I turned to the door. "I didn't say anything."

"Mai." He grabbed my arm, so I couldn't escape. "Tell me." His eyes were blazing through me. His grip grew tighter. I was afraid to do or say anything.

Then the sonorous sound of Megumi's cries rang in my ears. Now was my chance to escape his grasp. I quickly slipped into the room and reached for Megumi. When I calmed her down, I collapsed to my knees and pulled Megumi to my chest. The look in Naru's eyes when I said Gene's name made me concerned. Gene asked me to not mention him to Naru at all. Was that the reason why?

Gene…

I wondered what he would say to me after that little... scene. That was such a terrible thing to say about him. He probably wouldn't talk to me again. I guiltily rubbed the spot on my arm Naru grabbed me. He almost dug his nails into my arm, until Megumi started crying. She always gets upset at the right moment. Well, maybe not the right moment; but I had this feeling that Megumi sensitive when we were fighting. It was probably her psychic intuition. She was very sensitive for a baby.

"Sorry if you heard that, Megumi. Your daddy was just being a butthead," I said, playfully hitting my head. Megumi gooed. I laughed. "Oh Megumi, I don't know what I would do without you." I laid down with Megumi on my stomach. She quickly drifted off. So did I...

-X-

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_I don't know why I was in one of my dreams. I had a feeling Gene wouldn't want to see me. I said such terrible things to about him and Naru._

_"Mai." Speak of the devil._

_"Gomenasai, Gene! I didn't mean to say those things! Naru's just... ARGH! He just makes me so angry! Gomen, Gene, but this is hopeless. Naru will never change. I don't want to do this anymore. I love him, but... I don't think he loves me back. I don't think he could ever love me back. And if he's not willing to change, then I give up on him. Forgive me, Gene. I hope you're not too mad at me, and I hope I'll still be able to talk to you." I waited for Gene to say something. To yell at me. To make me feel guilty. Something! But he just stood there and smiled. "Gene...?"_

_He turned around and started to walk away._

_What just happened?_

~ _Dream End_ ~

-X-

I woke up and stretched my arms. It wasn't so smart of me to sleep on the floor. My back felt real stiff. Plus I still felt a little sleepy. Omigosh! Megumi was on my stomach! Why did I just sit up like that?

Unfortunately, Megumi wasn't anywhere. "Oh no..."

I ran out of the room and went searching for Megumi. I was about to run to Naru, but then it hit me.

_Why the hell would Naru care? I should see if Yuki has her._

When I was in front of Yuki's room, I softly knocked, then said, "Yuki, I'm looking for Megumi. Can I come in?" I heard soft laughter. It sounded like Megumi. I sighed in relief. Megumi was alright. I would to go in and get her, but it sounded like they were having fun in there. My curiosity got to me, and I cracked the door open ajar. I expected to see Yuki and Hoshi playing with my baby, but instead I saw

"Naru...?" Naru was lying on the floor of Yuki's room, gently tossing Megumi in the air and catching. She was hysterically giggling and clapping her hands together. And... was Naru _smiling_? This was a picture perfect moment. I wish I had a camera.

Naru suddenly stopped when he heard me. His smile disappeared when he saw me at the door. He quickly sat up with Megumi held close to his chest, then said, "Mai, what are you doing here?"

My face flustered. "Why the hell do you think I'm here? I fall asleep for like 5 minutes and my baby disappears! Do you care to explain _that_, Naru?"

He continued to look at me with that solid look of his while I was panting from yelling at him. He got up from the floor and walked past me.

"What the...? NARU!" I followed him to our room, still expecting an answer from him. I watched him cautiously as he laid Megumi in her crib and gave her her pacifier. What happened to the _real_ Naru?

"Okay, Naru. Now tell why you're suddenly acting like a father to Megumi. You were never like this before, and I doubt you've suddenly changed because you suddenly had a miraculous epiphany. And stop looking at me like that! Hey, what are you...?"

Naru finally shut me up. But not with his hand:

Naru gave me my first kiss.

...

It lasted for about 30 seconds until he finally held back and walked away. I couldn't see it, but I could feel my face turning red.

I didn't know what just happened, but I had a feeling Gene knew it would happen.


	20. Pinky Promise

**Ch. 19 Pinky Promise**

"Damn that Naru. Damn that Gene… Damn!"

What the hell was with Naru? First he took Megumi out of my sight, then he just walked past me and ignored me when I demanded an explanation, and _then_, out of nowhere, he _kissed_ me and walked away like it was no big deal! What the hell?

And I was positively sure that Gene had something to do with this. I mean, it didn't look like Naru was possessed, but he wasn't acting like himself, either. Maybe he did have a change of heart and Gene had really great timing…?

_Get real, Mai! Naru could never change. You said it yourself._

But did I really mean that?

What really caught my suspicion was the fact that Naru was with Megumi in Yuki and Hoshi's room, without Yuki and Hoshi. I think I understood what Hoshi really meant when she asked me why we didn't take care of Megumi "together".

"Konichiwa! Welcome to the Nagusami Inn!" someone said which broke my thoughts.

_So, these people _do_ get customers._

"Sorry, but I'm not here to stay."

_Never mind._

"Oh. Then get out."

_You don't have to be rude to the guy._

"But I'm here for my sister!" This guy's voice sounded familiar. I went to see who that crazy old bat was talking to.

"This isn't some kind of club, sir! Now I would appreciate it if-"

"BOU-SAN!" I ran to him and hugged his waist tightly. He accepted the hug warmly with open arms.

"Mai! It's great to see you… and to finally be able to hug you!" I punched his arm. "Geez, can't you take a joke, Mai?"

"Not when it's about my weight!"

"Mai, you know this man?" Grandma Nagusami asked.

"Yeah, he's-"

"Her older brother!" Bou-san answered her, once again interrupting me. A very annoying brother, indeed.

"Ah! I see the resemblance! It's nice to meet one of Mai's kin. You must have been terribly worried about her since you came out here just to find her."

"Yes, I was. When I heard my baby sister ran away with a delinquent," I rolled my eyes at his melodrama, "I was close to tears when I finally heard the angelic voice of my dear little sister when she first called, 3 weeks after her disappearance. But when she told me I had become an uncle, the tears started to flow." At the end of his little speech, I could see tears in his eyes. But they were obviously weren't real.

"Oh dear, that's such a sad story! I'm sure you want to spend some time with your sister. I'll leave you two alone." I felt relieved when she left. Leave it to Bou-san to make the situation awkward.

"So, where _is_ my new, little niece?" Bou-san asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Follow me, _Nii-san_." I led Bou-san to the room. When we arrived, Naru was holding Megumi, and feeding her. Bou-san's eyes narrowed when he saw him. Naru's did the same when we entered the room.

"Takigawa."

"It's great to see you too, Naru." I could feel the tension in the room, especially since I was in the middle of it. Did something happen between them that I wasn't aware of?

Naru suddenly got up from his position. "Are they here?"

"Yeah. They're outside." Naru walked over to me and put Megumi in my arms. He gave Bou-san the bottle before leaving the room.

"Who's 'they', Bou-san?" I asked.

"Lin and Madoka. They came along, and they brought some of the ghost hunting equipment with them." That was probably what Naru called Lin-san about. But why would he need the ghost hunting equipment? Was this place haunted or something? "I'm sure it's nothing you need to worry about, Mai." Bou-san said, ruffling my hair. "So, this is the little squirt?" he asked, changing the subject.

I nodded proudly. "Her name is Megumi."

"Megumi, huh? So your intuition was right, after all."

"Yep. Isn't she adorable?"

"Well, she's does kind of look like you, I'll give you that." His eyes softened as he gazed at little Megumi. Her face always looked so peaceful when she was asleep.

"Do you want to hold her, Bou-san?"

He winced. "I-I don't know. I don't want to drop her."

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be fine. And if you do drop her, I'll be right here to catch her."

"Gee, thanks." I carefully replaced the bottle in his hands with Megumi. He started shifting her weight so he could hold her comfortably. "She's so light." I smiled. It looked so sweet seeing Bou-san holding a baby. If Ayako was here, that'd be a real picture. "Here," Bou-san put her back into my arms.

"You don't want to hold her any longer?"

"She started getting restless." When she was back in my arms, she stopped squirming. "I guess she's not used to being held by strangers yet."

"I guess not."

"MAI!" Someone suddenly began squeezing me to death. Luckily Bou-san took Megumi out of my arms before she was crushed with me. But then she began to wail.

"Ma-do-ka…" I said between each breath. She finally released me and I gasped. "It's great to see you too." I hugged her back, and she put her arms around me more gently this time.

"Uh Mai…" I broke the hug when I saw Bou-san nervously holding my crying baby.

"Oh, is that her?" Madoka asked.

"Yes, this is my little Megumi," I answered, trying to calm her down. I put her in her crib when she was finally pacified.

"I'm sorry if I woke her up," Madoka apologized.

"It's okay."

"Aw! She's so adorable!" she exclaimed in a hushed tone. "It's hard to believe an angel like her came from cold ole' Naru. But she does have some of his features."

"Where are Lin and Naru, anyway?" I asked.

"Oh, you know, just discussing about clients who have called for the past 2 months. Luckily not too many people have called recently. Thank goodness business is more hassle-free during the holidays!" Madoka said with a smile.

"Thank Kami for that," Bou-san murmured.

"But Bou-san told me that you guys brought the ghost-"

"Do you mind showing me around, Mai? Us showing up out of the blue to bring you home is probably such a bother for you, so we were planning to stay the night before leaving." Yep, she was definitely hiding something.

"Sure. Bou-san, do you mind watching Megumi for me? This may take awhile." A very, very long while.

"Sure, Mai."

I pushed Madoka out the door. When I made sure that we were alone, I got straight to the point. "Okay, Madoka, what's going on?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I could hear the edginess in her voice.

"Don't lie. I know more than you think."

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. Wow, she was a great actress when she wanted to be. I wish I had her deceptive talent.

"One word. Gene." The gloves were finally off. Madoka's eyes turned soft and wet, as if she were about to cry.

"How much do you know?"

"All I know is Gene is Naru's older twin brother, and Naru is looking for something. I think it's connected to Gene."

She sighed. "Alright, I'll tell you as much as you need to hear, but please don't tell Naru I told you this and vice versa. It would only make the situation worse."

"I understand."

We entered the kitchen where I began preparing tea for the long conversation we were about to have. As we drank, Madoka began to explain.

"After you two fell into the astral plane that lead you two to the Demon Gate, we turned the lights on, and everything seemed normal again. It was like you guys just spontaneously disappeared. We were still trying to figure out where you guys went and how to contact you. Lin's shiki couldn't even trace where you guys fell. We waited days for a sign that you guys were alright, especially you, Mai, since you were still seven months due. Anything could have happened to you. Houshou was edgier than everyone else. It was a relief that Naru called at the hospital. We were so excited to hear that the baby was finally born, but we felt a little scared since it was so early.

"Then after, Naru started to call more often, but most of his calls were for Lin. I guess he didn't want me to worry too much. And, well, since you already know about Gene," Madoka scanned the room, as if to see if anyone had been listening thus far. She leaned a little and continued, "Naru's been looking for Gene for years, but after all the trouble we've been through, he had put it off for a while. Now he suddenly thinks _now_ is the perfect opportunity to start his search up again. I didn't exactly hear what happened, but I do know that somehow, Naru found Gene."

"Why is he was looking for Gene if he's already dead?" I was really enthralled by this. Gene never told me how he died or why Naru was looking for him in the first place.

"Well… you know how Naru has a very powerful force inside of him, right?"

"His PK?"

She nodded. "Well, that's not the only thing he can do. You see, Naru and Gene were connected in a sort of way. Whenever they were together, they were able to control their powers. But separated, it was hard for them since they were only children. Lin was hired by their parents to teach them how to control their powers and be their 'bodyguard' in a way. They could also use telepathy."

"That's so cool!" I exclaimed, but quickly covered my mouth. You never know who could be listening.

"Well it wasn't so cool for Naru. You see, 3 years ago, Gene went back to Japan because he heard there had been some paranormal phenomena happening in Tokyo. So Gene started the ghost hunting business under the permission of their parents. He asked Naru to come, but he refused. Naru regretted making that decision for the rest of his life. He touched something of Gene's and he suddenly saw Gene's death flashing before his eyes using the power of psychometry."

"Oh my god…!" I gasped and covered my hand with my mouth. That must have been awful! Seeing the death of his brother like that.

"He saw Gene get hit by a car. The assaulter covered his body in a blanket and put him the trunk of her car. Then she dumped him a lake. Naru didn't know which one, so he came to Japan to continue his brother's business while he was looking for him. I'm sorry, but that's all I can tell you."

_Hit by a car, and then thrown in a lake? That's sounds familiar… Oh my god._

"Mai…? Are you okay? Mai!"

-X-

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

"_Gene! Gene!" I ran and ran, and I didn't bother to stop anytime soon. I needed to know. Why was Gene hiding everything from me! Why did he and Naru have to make everything so difficult! "Gene!"_

"_What is it Mai? Is something wrong?" When I saw him appear out of nowhere, I ran at him._

_"Why didn't you tell me?" I pounded on his chest._

_"Tell you...?"_

_"Stop playing dumb! Stop hiding everything from me!" I started to tear up. "Madoka told me why Naru came to Japan. The moment I went into labor, I saw your death flash before my eyes, but at the time, I didn't realize that was you." I looked him straight in the eye. "Why didn't you tell me this before? I thought we could trust each other with everything! If you don't tell me all you know right now, then you're no longer my friend!" My breaths fell heavily. Gene's eyes stared at me with shock. I was a bit surprised myself since I've never yelled at him like that. But if he knew what I wanted to know, then I wanted him to give it to me straight._

_"... You saw my death?"_

_"I just said that!"_

_He sighed. "Mai, I didn't tell you because I never wanted Noll to find my body in the first place."_

_"Why not? He's your brother; he cares about you. He's been looking for you for years."_

_"It's _because_ he's been looking for me for years. That's all he ever did those 3 years. He never thought about anything else. Noll was never the same after he found out about my death. Then he met you. That's why I'm depending on you to help change his mind."_

_"In all due respect, Gene, I could never ask Naru to do such a thing. He's only doing this because he loves you and you're his brother. You're the only real family Naru had left in his life, and when you died... Well, let's just say I feel the same way Naru does right now."_

_"You do realize that's the only reason why he left England."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I've said enough."_

_"Gene, please…!"_

_"If I told you everything, it would only lead to trouble. When mother left, I promised her I wouldn't get involved anymore and I wouldn't tell you anymore than you need to know."_

_"Why does everyone say that to me? I'm not a little girl. Just tell me!"_

_"No!"_

_"Gene!"_

_"I'll tell you some other time. Now's just not the time. You need to go back. Your friends are worried about you."_

_"Promise?" I held out my pinky. It was childish, but I wanted to make sure he wouldn't lie to me. You can't break a pinky promise in my book._

_Gene hesitantly looked at my finger then held his out and wrapped it around mine. "Promise."_

~ _Dream End_ ~

-x-

"Is she going to be okay?"

"Relax. She's just having one of those dreams. She'll wake up soon."

"How long do these dreams usually last?"

"It varies."

I woke up to these faint voices in my head. They sounded familiar. "M-Ma-do-ka...?"

"Mai!" She squeezed the life out of me. "I was so worried! You just suddenly fainted and I didn't know what to do!"

"Gomen," I said. "It's a habit." I noticed we weren't the only ones in the room. Bou-san was next to me and Naru and Lin were at the corner of the room, by the crib where Megumi was happily resting.

"Now that you're awake, start packing," Naru commanded.

"Stop being so pushy, Naru," Bou-san told him. "Mai just woke up."

"Yeah. We were planning on waiting tomorrow to take her home, anyway," Madoka added.

"Me? Why just me? Why can't Naru come?" I asked.

There was an awkward silence. "Mai, I told you before-"

"I know what you said, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to sit around and do nothing! Why does everybody hiding everything from me!"

"Mai, calm down."

"I'm not gonna calm down until I get some answers!" I was glaring at Naru. He seemed unfazed. That bastard...!

"Mai, come with me." Madoka grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the room. With all of my yelling, I was surprised Megumi hadn't started crying yet. "Mai, I told before, Naru called us for a reason, and it wasn't just to bring you home." She squeezed my arms, slightly.

"But what if Gene doesn't want this?"

Madoka's hands released their grip on my arms. "Why wouldn't Gene want Naru to find him?"

"Madoka, you told me that the only reason Naru came to Japan was to find Gene's body, ne?" She nodded. "What's going to happen when he _does_ find him?"

Madoka bit her lip before answering. "Mai, you have to understand-"

"Please, just tell me." I was desperate to find answers, and if I had to beg, so be it.

I heard her heavily sighed. "Naru will return to England, and he may not come back."

* * *

_Don't you just love cliffhangers!_

_**R&R!**_


	21. Fallen Again

**Ch. 20 Fallen Again**

"Mai, it's been three days. Let's go."

"No, I'm not leaving until Naru finds Gene's body and we can go home together." I sat stubbornly on the floor. Madoka was holding Megumi, and Bou-san was carrying the bags. They said they were taking me back three days ago, but I was as persistent as ever.

Madoka sighed. "Mai, I told you-"

"I know what you said!" I cried out. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you tell me what to do."

-X-

_FLASHBACK_

_"Naru will return to England, but he may not come back."_

_I was utterly shocked. "What do you mean he might not come back? He can't just go to England and _not _return to Japan! What about SPR?"_

_"It's like I told you before, Mai. The only reason Naru came to Japan was-"_

_"To find Gene's body, I know! But he can't just leave! It doesn't make any sense!" I pulled out of Madoka's grasp and ran._

_"Wait, Mai!" I heard her call after me but I ignored her._

_I continued to run until I was outside and far away from that inn. It was raining hard outside, but I didn't stop. I didn't know where I was going, but it didn't matter. As long as I was far away from Naru..._

_"Ah!" I tripped. With support from the wall, I tried to stand up, but then I stumbled. My knees were scraped and my hands were bleeding from clawing at the wall. I was in pain. This was killing me. Why? Why did this have to happen? And to think me and Megumi and Naru would have a chance at becoming a family. A complete family._

_"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS NARU? DO YOU HATE ME THAT MUCH? DO YOU HATE _US_ THAT MUCH? WHY?"_

_I froze. I could feel something behind me. It felt eerie and uncomfortable. I had to get farther away. But when I tried to get up, I felt a sting in my legs. I was crippled. And now I was doomed._

_Something grabbed my shoulder. "NO! Get away! Get away!" I said, hitting the stranger._

_"Mai, calm down! It's me, Bou-san!" He grabbed my arms and made me face him. I was afraid to look at him because I thought he would be angry at me, but when I finally saw him, his face looked more worried than angry. He looked like he was crying, but that could have just been the rain water in his eyes. He hugged me, tightly. "What have I told you about running away like that? You make us worry too much," he said into my hair._

_More tears poured out of my eyes. I did it again. I made everyone worry. Typical Mai. "Gomenasai..." I cried._

_"At least you're safe." He released me. "Come on. Let's go back to have you cleaned up. You're a mess."_

_I laughed. "Thanks," I said, wiping my tears. He carried me on his back. As he was walking, I said, "We have to go back... to Japan... all of us... together..."_

_I knew he was smiling, even though I couldn't see it. He released his grip on one of my legs and put a hand over mine._

_"Together."_

_FLASHBACK END_

-X-

"You promised that we would go back together, Bou-san," I stated.

He winced when Madoka glared at him. "Mai..." I was glaring at him, too. He looked like he was about to pee himself. "*Sigh* fine. We'll wait one more day. But if Naru isn't ready by the next day, we're leaving without him and Lin."

"... fine." I sighed stubbornly.

I still didn't like this plan. How long did it take to get a body out of a lake? Actually, I wouldn't have known, but I was sure it didn't take this long... I think. "I'm taking Megumi to the lake," I decided as I lifted Megumi from Madoka's arms.

"Mai, it's like a mile away. How are you supposed to get there?" Bou-san asked.

"You're going to drive me there, of course."

"If you're taking her there, then I'm going with you," Madoka declared.

Bou-san gave another sigh. "Fine!"

* * *

When we got there, the road was closed off. It was obviously the cause of our infamous narcissist. Did fishing a body out of a lake take that much effort? We got out of the car and walked up to the construction together, but I walked ahead when I saw someone I recognized.

"Lin-san?"

He turned but his expression looked appalled. "Mai? What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see what was going on. How's progress?"

He sighed. "They can't seem to find anything, but Naru says he knows something is in that lake."

"Really?"

There were a few seconds of silence before Lin said to me, "Madoka told me you know about Gene."

I nodded. "I'm guessing Naru knows now, huh?" He nodded back. I turned towards the lake. "To be honest, I've known Gene for awhile; I just didn't know it was Gene. I thought..." I paused. It would be embarrassing to tell someone that I thought Gene was Naru, especially if that person was Lin. I wasn't sure if he was one to keep secrets because I'd never told him a secret of mine, but I had a feeling I could trust him.

"Can _you_ sense him, Mai?" I looked at him, confused. "Gene. Can you sense his presence in the lake?"

I closed my eyes and waited awhile. "I can't sense a thing. Gomen," I apologized. "The first time we were by this lake, I saw Gene's death flash before my eyes. That must have been what Naru saw, and maybe that's why he thinks Gene's body is in this lake."

He stayed quiet for a long time. Maybe I said too much. I walked up closer to the lake, but then Megumi started to whimper. I took her back to the car where Bou-san and Madoka were waiting. "I'm going to look for Naru. If we don't find him, I guess we can go back."

"I'm coming with you," Bou-san said, going into overly-protective-older-brother mode.

"I'll take her," Madoka said, lifting Megumi from my arms. "A construction site isn't a safe place for babies."

"Arigatou." I bowed.

We left Madoka and Megumi in search of Naru. It took awhile until we finally found him. He was a few meters away, talking to some of the workers. A few feet later, we could hear them having a very intense conversation.

"-sorry sir, but we can't find it. Are you sure there's a _body_ in there?"

"Positive," Naru growled.

The worker scratched the back of his head nervously and said, "Alright, sir. We'll keep looking and call you back as soon as we find him. You should go back. We can handle it from here."

"..." Naru glared at the man when he turned and went back to work. The narcissist walked closer to the edge, but not too close. He looked very thoughtful and ready to pound somebody. I sighed. Talking to him would surely be difficult.

"I'm going to try to say something to him. Can you just stay here, please?"

"I don't know," Bou-san said, reluctantly. "You talking to an angry Naru at the edge of a cliff? Doesn't seem like the smartest thing to do right now."

"Shut up. Nothing's going to happen. I'm just going to try to calm him down. He looks like he needs to relax. It'll just be a minute." I ran over to him. "Hey Naru."

He turned to me. His eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?" he asked venomously.

His tone threw me off. "I-I just wanted to see how you were doing." I paused to make sure I could say more. Naru didn't look real upset with me, so I continued, "So, is Gene really in that lake?"

"Stop talking as if you've known him as long as I have, Mai. He's not your brother."

Okay, that pissed me off. "But he _is_ my friend!" I took a deep breath. I wasn't supposed to wile him up, so I stayed calm. "Look, I know I haven't known him as long as you have, but I do know he's helped me a lot, and if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have solved most of our cases." He turned to me. That got his attention. "So, yeah, we haven't been long term friends, but I do know that he's just as important to me as he is to you."

I was feeling pretty proud of myself, until he said, "How long did it take you to realize it wasn't me?"

"What...? That doesn't matter! I've always trusted him from the beginning! Besides... if it wasn't for him... I wouldn't have realized how much..."

"How much what?" he demanded.

"... How much... I... I love you," I finally said. I couldn't believe I said it. "I love you so much, Naru. I want to know more about you. Please stop excluding me out of your life! I want to help you!" I was almost close to tears. "Madoka told me you were going to England. But you can't just leave! Not when you've got SPR. It's just not right." I put his hand in both of mine. "Please don't leave, Naru. What about Megumi? You can't just leave her when she's so warmed up to you. Please..."

"... Are you sure it's me you love... or Gene?"

I dropped his hand and froze. I couldn't believe what I just heard. I guess he really hates me. I felt like crying.

No.

No more crying.

I wasn't going to look so vulnerable in front of him anymore.

I turned from him and said, "Fine, if you don't believe me, then... I won't try to stop you anymore. You can go back to England once you've found Gene's body, and I'll stay out of your life." I started walking away, but then I turned back around and yelled, "But just so you know, Gene never wanted you to find his body in the first place!" I turned back and ran to the car.

I forgot Bou-san would be waiting, so I accidentally ran into him. "Mai, what happened?"

I shook my head. "Nothing, let's go."

"Mai-"

"I just want to leave!"

I knew Bou-san wouldn't dodge the question for long, but I know he wouldn't push me. He put his arm around my shoulder and led me to the car. When we arrived at the car, Madoka and Megumi weren't there. "Hey Mai, look." Bou-san was pointing over to the cliff. Madoka, with Megumi still in her arms, was talking to Lin. He said something, and then she laughed. They looked like they really liked each other. I wanted to smile, but looking at that familiar scene made me feel a little jealous. I jumped into the car and waited for Madoka to finish her conversation with Lin.

I was grateful that Bou-san had the guts to interrupt their conversation so we could leave. As soon as Madoka sat in the car, she said to me, "Hey Mai, did you find Naru?"

"Uh... Yeah," I replied, glum.

She frowned a little. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just want to go back to the inn, please."

She sighed. She looked at Bou-san and they gave each other the same look. "If you say so."

* * *

"I want to go back."

Bou-san and Madoka stopped what they were doing. "Go back to the construction site?" Madoka asked.

"No, back to Shibuya. I want to go back home." They seemed shocked by my decision. I felt like such a hypocrite.

"Are you sure, Mai?" Bou-san asked. "What about Naru? I thought you wanted us to all go home together."

"... I don't want to force him to do something he doesn't want to do. It's his choice."

"Mai, come with me for a sec?" Madoka grabbed me and we went into the hallway. "Did Naru say anything to you to make you change your mind?"

"Why would you say that?"

"You're not acting like yourself. You would never let Naru win."

"He hasn't won. I just decided not to get in his way anymore."

She sighed. "Alright, if that's what you want. We can leave tomorrow if you like." She turned to leave and said, "This isn't just about you Mai. Think of Megumi and everybody else at SPR."

_I know that, but this is important to Naru. I can't just force him. I'm tired of whining!_

I went to my room and laid down. I was so tired. This whole day just took the energy out of me. The next thing I knew, I was sleeping restlessly on my futon.

-X-

~_Dream Mode _~

_Why was I here? I didn't want to see Gene. I broke my promise with him, again. I didn't deserve his help, anymore. After all this, I wouldn't have been surprised if he never wanted to speak to me again. I sighed as I sat on the ground._

_There I go again. I was being such a pessimist; but nothing good had happened. That phantom was still out there, Gene wasn't going to help me anymore, and once Naru finds his body, he was going back to England and never coming back. I was a fickle. I didn't care if he wanted to leave, but I didn't want him, either. ARGH! Why should I care! Naru said what he needed to say and he wouldn't change his mind, even though I just poured out my heart to him and he didn't even give a damn... I was such an idiot for falling for him._

_**He doesn't love you...**_

_That was what he obviously meant. I mean he didn't say it, but the look on his face just gave it away. I told him I loved him and his face just comprised of a frown. A very vicious frown. Plus, he said that I love Gene. _Gene_! I mean, just because he was nicer, older, and he smiled a lot more, didn't mean I love Naru any less. Gene and I were just friends._

_**He hates you; he won't ever return your feelings...**_

_But I wouldn't have gone as far as to say that he hated me. Just because he didn't love me didn't mean we weren't friends anymore. He might not return the feelings I had for him, but he would always be important to me._

_**He's going to leave you...**_

_Maybe not forever. I mean, he was Naru. He was the most unpredictable person known to man. He might come back when we least expect it. I couldn't lose faith, not when the battle wasn't over yet. I still loved him, after all._

_**He hates you...**_

_No, I didn't believe that. Wait a minute... these weren't even my thoughts! Who the hell was saying these things? "Who are you? Come out and show yourself!"_

_**"Took you awhile, dear,"**__ an ominous voice said. __**"You're such a feebleminded girl, for a psychic."**__ The ghostly figure finally appeared. She was so feminine and so familiar looking. I scowled. __**"It's a wonder why my nephew fell for you."**_

_"Nephew? What are you talking about?"_

_**"Well, isn't it obvious, dear?"**__ She walked up closer to me. __**"My name is Shibuya Mitsuki, Aoi's sister. But that doesn't matter right now, does it?"**__ She lifted my chin with her misty hand, but I slapped it away._

_"Don't touch me."_

_**"Aw, why do you have to be so mean, Mai-chan? I thought we could be friends..."**_

_"You thought we could be 'friends'? You sick bitch! You put my friends in danger, make me hurt Naru, almost killed my baby while she was still inside of me, and now you were about to convince me to start giving up on Naru!"_

_**"Blame your gullibility for that last one."**_

_"Whatever! I don't care! You're a monster, and I'm never going to trust or forgive you for hurting my friends and my baby!"_

_**"Mai, you don't understand. I don't have anything against you."**__ She put an arm around my shoulder. "__**It's my damn sister and her sons! I despise them! But you, Mai, you're an innocent victim. You were brought into this mess once my nephew put his seed into your innocence. It makes me sick just thinking about it! I bet it makes you sick too, doesn't it Mai?"**__ Once again, her fingers strung under my chin. __**"I don't want to hurt you, Mai. In fact, I have a deep interest in you. So let's not fight, let's get to know each other, ne?"**_

_I didn't know what to say or do. This was the same phantom that wouldn't hesitate to hurt me, even when I was pregnant. This was the same phantom that caused us so much pain these past nine months. Now she was right here, touching me, petting me as if I belonged to her._

_"I... I..."_

_**"Don't try to deny me, Mai. I promise no harm will come to you or your friends, if you become my subordinate."**_

_"... Nande... why me?"_

_**"I can feel a strong force inside of you. The anger and madness you feel, it gives you strength. You're capable of more than you can imagine. I can teach you to use these powers, if you want..."**_

_"No..." Her words, they were so familiar. I remember a dream I had: she was surrounded by other terrifying apparitions. Some of them looked like demons. My anger and frustration gave me power. Naru was the one who made me angry. She almost convinced me to become one of her minions, but then Gene saved me. She must have sent me that vision. She had been lying to me the whole time. "N-Never... I'll never help you!" I threw her off of me and ran._

_**"You'll pay for that, you little skank!"**__ I looked over my shoulder, watching a dark ball of flames fly at me. I closed my eyes and got ready for the pain, but I didn't feel anything. I turned again to see Gene._

_"Gene!"_

_"Go to Naru, Mai."_

_'"But-"_

_"Go!"_

_I felt reluctant to leave him, but Naru was in jeopardy. Gene would have to aid us in the battle. "Arigatou!" I continued to run and braced myself for what was coming next._

_"Hurry, Mai..."_

~_Dream End_~

-X-

"AH!" I woke up in a cold sweat. My heart was pulsating and my head was pounding. I could hardly breathe. I needed to get out of here.

"Mai, what's wrong?" Madoka ran to me. She must have been in the room with me the whole time, watching me.

"Hey, is everything okay in there?" Bou-san suddenly came into the room.

"Mai, answer me!"

My head was still suffering from vertigo, but then I finally steadied myself. "Omigosh...! Naru! We need to get to Naru!"

"Why? What's wrong with Naru?"

"We need to leave, now!"

"Mai, are you feeling okay?"

"ARGH! Forget it! I'll just call a taxi!" I ran out of the room before they could catch me. Nothing was going to stand in my way. I was going to get to Naru, no matter what.

I couldn't find a taxi, so I tried calling out to other cars. I finally stopped. "Sir, can you please drive me down to the lake, down that road? I need to get there. I'll pay you anything. I just need to there as fast as I can. My friend is in trouble!"

He looked uncertain for a moment, but he took my offer. He drove me until the road was blocked off. "Arigatou. I'll pay you-"

"No charge, ma'am. Good luck with your friend!"

"Arigatou!" I ran to the construction. When I saw Lin, I ran faster. "Lin, where's Naru?"

"Mai, how did you-"

"Never mind that! Where's Naru?"

"Over there." I ran to him. As I suspected, he was at the cliff, speculating whether his brother was there or not. "Naru!"

"Mai?" I stopped beside him, panting heavily. "What are you doing here?"

"Never mind... that..." I said as I panted. "You're... in... danger... We... need... to get out of here!"

"What are you talking about?"

"No time... for questions... come on!" I grabbed at his hand but he drew it away.

"I'm not going anywhere until you explain to me what's going on." I glared at him and he did the same. Explanations would have to wait, but of course it always had to be his way.

"Fine, but if you-" I stopped when I felt someone push me. I lost my balance and began to fall down the lake where sharp rocks and tumultuous waves.

_**Have a nice swim, dear...**_

"Mai!"


	22. Don't Leave Me!

**Ch 21. Don't Leave Me!**

...

My body felt numb...

...

Was I dying?

... I guess that's how I should've feel. After all, I am drowning. I wonder if Gene felt this way when he died. It must have been. I was just pushed off the same cliff he was thrown over. This must have been what it felt like for him. It was grievous, but I felt relaxed at the same time.

It was so dark I couldn't tell if my eyes were open or not. I tried to open them, but I guess my eyelids were numb, too. Then I heard laughter. A baby's laughter.

"Megumi!"

My eyes shot open. Everything wasn't as dark as I thought. Everywhere I looked, there was blue haziness. I tried sitting up.

_Damn! I still can't move._

I didn't feel any pain. I felt fine. Maybe my body was just paralyzed, or maybe I _was_ dead.

"Nngh..."

I shuddered. Something just groaned next to me. Or someone.

_**Turn your head, Mai.**_

In an instant, I was able to turn my head. It was like some mysterious voice was controlling my movements. When I did turn my head to the side, I saw an obscure figure. It was far away so I couldn't see who or what it was. I just hoped it wasn't Mitsuki. The figure began to stir again, and I think it finally woke up. It sat up and I almost gasped at what I saw.

_Naru..._

Why was he here? He shouldn't have been here. I was the only one who fell (I mean was _pushed_) off that cliff.

_**He saved you, Mai.**_

Saved me? Why on Earth would he save me after all the terrible things I said to him? I wouldn't have been surprised if he just stood there and watched me fall to my demise. But I knew Naru wasn't so horrible he'd do something that inhumane.

_**He cares to much about you, Mai. More than you could imagine...**_

"M-Mai..." I heard him mumble.

_Naru..._

When he realized he was alone, he began to call out for me. "Mai!"

_I'm right here, Naru!_

I tried calling his name, but my lips wouldn't move. He couldn't see or hear me. How were we supposed to get out of here?

"Goo!"

That same baby sound. Was I hearing things? Naru must have heard it too because he suddenly stood up when he heard the baby's laughter. It sounded so familiar.

_It couldn't be..._

"Megumi," Naru said.

It was impossible. Megumi couldn't have been here. She was safe and sound with Bou-san and Madoka, wasn't she?

Suddenly, a mysterious light shone. There was another anonymous figure in our presence.

_Please not Mitsuki...! Please not Mitsuki...!_

What I saw was even more of a shocker. I saw a replica of me, in a silky, sleek, pink kimono with cherry blossoms. She was holding a white bundle.

_No, it... it can't be..._

"Mai. Megumi." Naru's voice boomed through this barren confinement. He slowly walked towards the two. "Are you two alright?"

"We're fine, Naru."

"I'm glad." This person sounded like me, but it was so obvious (at least to me) that it wasn't. I must've been dreaming. I _had_ to be dreaming. Surely Naru wouldn't be stupid enough to think that was really me... right? I mean, even he would know that it was strange Megumi somehow ended up here with us… wouldn't he?

"Naru, let's go. Everybody's probably worried about us." She turned around to walk the other way, but Naru grabbed her wrist and turned her back around. "N-Naru..."

"Mai, if I hurt you, you don't have to hide it."

"What are you-?"

"Mai, please don't interrupt." His head was bowed down. "I know I hurt you on numerous occasions, and what I said on the cliff was uncalled for. I want you to forgive me because I don't want to lose you. Not you or Megumi."

"What are you saying, Naru?"

"Come with me to England."

_... Say what?_

"Naru." A smile glowed on my clone's face. "I would love to."

_No,_ I_ wouldn't!_

Naru hugged her. "I'm so glad."

_No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

This couldn't be happening! It had to be dream! It just had to! Naru would never say such things! And if he ever did offer to take me to England with him, I would most likely deny his offer! I couldn't look at this scene anymore! I couldn't face this nightmare!

_**Look closer, Mai.**_

_Okay, who are you, and why are you able to control me?_

_**Just look, Mai.**_

I did as I was told, and looked at the romantic scene. They looked so happy. Naru was still hugging me, and I was still holding Megumi, overwhelmed by Naru's embrace. He finally released me and smiled sincerely. I wish he smiled like that more often. Even Megumi seemed to be enjoying that lovely family moment. Then she became restless and started crying. Naru and my look-alike didn't even notice. Then I saw it. My carbon copy turned into an atrocious figure with horrid vibes. It was the phantom, Mitsuki. And she was holding my baby. _My_ baby! Naru was still in his dream-like state, very unaware of the situation. It was as if Naru thought this was a big dream.

_Naru, you big-headed, overly-confident, good-for-nothing, narcissistic, idiot scientist!_

If only I could talk, I would give him such a tongue-lashing! If only I could move, I would kick his sorry ass for being so stupid! Well, the ass-kicking would have to be saved for later. Right now, I had to find a way to move so I could save both Naru and Megumi.

_**You can stop this, Mai.**_

_How? You won't let me move! You won't let me do _anything_!_

_**Go ahead.**_

A bolt of exhilaration surged through my body and I suddenly was able to move on my own, again.

_Arigatou, whoever you are!_

I ran to the scene, but the closer I went, it seemed I was only getting farther away from them. I could see Megumi wave her arms towards me. She knew the apparition was evil; it was a huge relief that she knew who her real mother was. If only Naru was as smart. "Mommy's coming, Megumi!"

Mitsuki's eyes flickered with rage. Megumi cried louder. Naru was still an idiot. I saw her form transform back to look like me. She

might have looked angelic, but her face was still demonic. "Let's go, Naru. We have to go back to the others."

He shook his head. "Not yet. I'm not done yet." I saw Mitsuki fidget, but she kept that terrible smile on her face, or should I say _my_ face.

"Naru, I don't think we have the time."

"Why is that?" He put a smirk on his face. His face came closer to hers. Yep, I would definitely have to kick his ass after this.

"Well, ano..." Their lips weren't that much further apart. I had to think of something, quick. I only had one solution...

"Megumi!" She was still wailing, but she looked at me. I made a face and she seemed to understand what I wanted her to do. Her eyes glowed a dazzling green. Mitsuki clutched her head and she fell to the floor. I ran over to them and caught Megumi before she reached the ground. Then I grabbed Naru wrist and began to run.

_**"YOU LITTLE BRAT! YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!"**_

I ran as fast as I could until I ran out of breath. Naru should have been out of his daze by now. I turned to him and said, "Naru, are you okay?"

His eyes looked perplexed. He blinked a few times before responding. "M-Mai? What's going on?"

"You almost kissed your aunt, ya dingdong!" was what I wanted to say, but we had no time to start arguing. "No time for questions! Just run!" I continued to drag Naru along so we could get away from Mitsuki. But something suddenly hit my back and I fell.

"Mai!" Naru knelt down to help me.

"I'm okay. Where's Megumi?" Now I was in a panic. Megumi was missing. I had just lost my baby, _again_!

I heard crying. It came from behind us. I was afraid to look because I knew who it was. _**"You can't run now, my dear. Not when I have your precious little brat!"**_

"Megumi!" Mitsuki had her in her arms. Megumi was wailing hysterically now.

"Who the hell are you?" Naru said.

_**"Aw, how rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm your dear, deceased aunt, Mitsuki. Now, let's not dawdle any longer. I still need to send you two to your demise. But it's a shame."**_ She came up to Naru and put a hand on his cheek. _**"I don't want to have to harm such a beautiful face, Noll."**_ Naru stiffened. _**"You look so much like your mother."**_ He slapped her hand away.

"Someone willing to hurt their own blood isn't family to me. I will not let you harm Mai or Megumi."

_**"Is that so?"**_ Naru glared at her. She smirked. They were having a really intense staring contest. I guess that ran in the family. But we didn't have time for this.

"Enough! Just give me back my baby, you bitch!" I cried.

_**"I don't think so!"**_ She hit me with a whirlwind sickle. _**"You two are going to feel what I've been suffering for all these years thanks to Aoi and your father!"**_

Naru's father? I wonder what he and Aoi have to do with this. "What did they do exactly?"

_**"THIS!"**_ She threw more whirlwind sickles at us. I closed my eyes and got ready for the pain, but I felt nothing. I opened my eyes to see Naru on top of me. His face was contorted with pain. "N...Naru..."

"Mai, I want you to retrieve Megumi. I'll distract Mitsuki."

"But, Naru-"

"Don't argue with me, Mai!" He looked like he had the urge to scream in agony. "Just do it."

"A-Alright."

Naru removed himself from on top of me and faced his aunt. "So, if you are my mother's sister, why are you so desired to get rid of me?"

_**"Because she took the love of my life away from me. If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have been born in the first place!"**_ She assaulted Naru again, but he dodged it.

What I heard was despicable. She had been holding a grudge all these years just because Naru's mother fell in love with his father? That was just awful. I couldn't contain my feelings. "You really are a horribly despicable bitch!"

"Mai, don't get involved!" Naru shouted at me. It was too late. Her attention was on me now.

"You shouldn't be blaming Naru or Gene for something as natural as love! If it wasn't meant to be, it wasn't meant to be, and you should have just passed on! But if you're was going to bitch about it, you really did deserve to die!"

Mitsuki was glowing with frustration, ready to attack me. Her hand grasped my neck and I was gasping for air. Megumi was still bellowing in her arms. I had to do something so she wouldn't be harmed. I kicked and struggled, but the phantom held onto my neck tighter.

_**"You're going to regret saying such things to me, you little tramp!" **_She hissed in my ear. _**"You have no idea what I went through and how I ended up here!"**_

I was still struggling for freedom, but her gripped grew tighter. Even though I was suffocating, I said, "I know, I have no idea what happened, but why does everybody else have to suffer just because you didn't get what you wanted? If you truly loved him, you would have left them alone."

Her hard look turned a bit soft. I guess I finally got to her. _**"You may be right."**_ She smirked again. _**"But that doesn't change anything! If it wasn't for them, I would still be alive!"**_ She continued to choke me to death, and I was about ready to pass out. Then a miracle happened. She suddenly released me and I dropped to the ground. She even dropped Megumi, but I caught her in time.

_**"W-What's happening to me?"**_ She looked at Naru. _**"**_**You**_**!" **_

I gasped when I saw Naru. His body was covered in a glowing, translucent aura and his eyes were blazing. He looked the same as it did when he destroyed that god. He was using his powers again! "Naru, don't do it!"

He looked at me, then back at Mitsuki. He lifted his hand up and a ball of energy began to form. I dragged myself away so I wouldn't get hit by the blast, also. I looked away as Naru throw the energy ball at Mitsuki. I could hear Mitsuki shriek when she was hit. I curled into a ball and covered Megumi as the essence of Naru's power blew over me. I sat up and opened my eyes when it was all over. Naru was standing there with that narcissistic look on his face.

I sighed. She was gone. It was all over. Then I saw Naru on the ground. "Naru! Are you alright?" I ran over to him.

"I'm fine, Mai," he said.

"Don't lie to me Naru! You just used your powers! You have to lay down or something!"

"Mai, calm down."

"I can't calm down!"

"Mai." He grasped my shoulders. "I'll lie down. But you have to calm down. Panicking is not going to help the situation. You're still holding Megumi."

I nodded. "Okay." I helped him lie down. His breath began to get ragged. We needed to get out of here and get to a hospital. It wouldn't have been long until Naru fell into unconsciousness, plus he was covered with cuts and bruises. I wasn't much help, either. I couldn't do anything to help him and my neck was killing me. I could feel a bruise forming. I rubbed my throat.

"She hurt you." He reached his hand up to touch my throat. I grabbed his wrist and set it back down.

"It's no big deal." He grabbed my hand. "N-Naru, what are you...?" He put his lips against my palm.

"I don't... want you to leave me either, Mai... Never..."

I gulped. "I won't, Naru. Not ever." He coughed. "Naru!" He closed his eyes. "Don't do that, Naru! Please, just stay with me!" I set Megumi down and put an ear on Naru's chest. His heartbeat was faint. "Naru! Please..." This was pure torture. I couldn't stand to see him this way. He was dying right before my eyes.

As I cried into his chest, I felt something brush against my knee. I looked down to see Megumi trying to climb onto her father. Her legs kicked as she tired to get on top of him. I guess she wanted to say goodbye to her father before he was gone. I picked her up and put her on Naru's chest. He put his arms around her body. Then he pulled my wrist and made me lie down next to him.

"N-Naru." He turned his head to me, but his eyes were still closed. My face was close enough to feel his breath, which was getting shallower. I touched his face. "Please stay awake." I leaned further in until my lips pressed against his. I forgot how soft and mesmerizing they were. Naru pressed harder against my lips before quickly drawing back. I couldn't hear anything and my eyes were drooping. Naru set his spell on me again. But I wasn't going to fall for it this time. If he was going down, we were going together.

I grabbed his hand. "I'll never leave you Naru. Never..."


	23. Sleeping Charming

**Ch. 22 Sleeping Charming**

_I didn't know how long I was unconscious, but I knew it was long enough that I could be dead by now. When I opened my eyes, I could see only see blackness, something I was getting adjusted to very quickly. But this time, there were floating, obscure dots, drifting up to the endless, black sky. I was dreaming. At least I knew I was dreaming this time because I heard a familiar voice calling my name._

_"Mai, are you awake?"_

_I quickly shut me eyes._

_"Mai wake up."_

_I moaned. I didn't want to "wake up". If this was some kind of dream, that meant I would meet _him_, and I didn't want to face _him_ after all that had happened. I wasn't able to protect Naru. He may even be dead for all I knew._

_"Mai, please wake up."_

_"N-No."_

_"Why not?"_

_"Because, I broke a promise to a friend. You're probably mad at me right about now, aren't you?"_

_I felt his hand grab my arm and pull me until I was completely sitting up. I opened my eyes. His face had so much benevolence; he looked like an angel. He put his arms around me. "I would never be mad at you, Mai. I love you too much to hold you in such regard."_

_"You _love_ me?"_

_"You know what I mean."_

_"But… I said all those terrible things to Naru. Not to mention I broke my promise, _again_."_

_"It doesn't matter anymore, Mai. Thanks to you, Naru finally understands what's truly important now. Arigatou."_

_"..." I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything and took the hug._

_"Is Naru alright?"_

_"Do you want to see for yourself?"_

_"Sure, but I'd also like to thank your mother for helping us. Can you take me to her?" Gene frowned. "Is something wrong?"_

_"Well..."_

_"Gene..."_

_"Okay, I'll tell you everything. I can't break a promise I made to you, Mai..."_

* * *

My eyes opened. A dazzling light struck my face, nearly blinding me. I tried covering my face, but my arms felt numb. Was I really paralyzed this time?

It took much effort for me to turn my head, but I was finally able to accomplish the task. I was able to see Bou-san sleeping in a chair near the bed I was laying in. So I wasn't completely paralyzed, that was a relief. I wanted to get out of this bed. I needed to see Naru.

I groaned as I tried sitting up. As soon as I was up, Madoka entered the room. "Mai! You're awake!" She ran over to the bed and squeezed me to death. Her noisy yelling woke up Bou-san.

"Wha-Mai!" He also joined in crushing my bones.

"Guys... can't... breathe!"

That made them release me. "Gomen, Mai," Bou-san apologized. "It's just that you've been asleep for three days."

"Three days?" My voice cracked. My throat hurt. I touched my neck and felt bandages wrapped around it.

"Yep, they thought you wouldn't wake up until..." Madoka discontinued the sentence and cleared her throat before starting again. "But it's a relief that you're awake! If only Noll would pull through."

Noll. That was the nickname Gene gave Naru when they lived in England, I remembered. "Naru... how is he?"

"It's hard to say. He's still in a coma," Bou-san answered. "Everything just sort of happened at once. We came as soon as Lin called us and told us that you fell over the cliff and into the lake. He also said that Naru jumped in to rescue you. We finally found you two on the shore. You weren't breathing. Your condition was less serious than Naru's. You only had bruises on your neck." That explained why my throat felt so scratchy. "And your lungs were almost completely filled with water. Other than that, you turned out okay. Better than Naru, that is..." He mumbled the last part, but I could still hear him. "The weirdest thing is that Megumi was also there with you guys. Her wailing was what helped us find you. We thought she was with us the whole time, but it turned out she disappeared as soon as we got that phone call."

"Thank goodness, out of all of you, she was the only one to turn out unharmed," Madoka proclaimed.

Oh my gosh! I totally forgot about Megumi! "Where is she?"

"Don't worry. We left her with your friend Yuki, at the inn. It's not really safe for a baby to be in a hospital, especially on this floor. You better get well soon. She was wailing for her mommy when we left." I smiled. Megumi was such a smart girl for her age. It calmed me a bit, knowing that she was okay.

"What about Naru?"

"His condition was a bit more fragile than yours." Bou-san said. "The doctors said he had more water in his lungs and he couldn't breathe at all when they got it out. They said his pulse was missing, but it came back shortly after... Are you feeling okay, Mai? You look kind of pale."

I couldn't breathe. Naru almost _died_. He almost died fighting off that phantom. He almost died drowning in the same lake his brother's decaying body was thrown into. He almost died protecting me. He almost died because of _me_. I needed to see him now!

"Mai, if you're not feeling well, we'll call a doctor-"

"NO!" I grabbed Madoka's arm. "Take me to him."

"What?"

"Take me to Naru." I repeated.

"I don't think we sho-"

"Please!" I pleaded. "Please... I need to see him... I promised Naru I wouldn't leave him... I promised him..." I bowed my head down so they wouldn't see my tears. My throat was killing me, and it stung even more as I quietly sobbed.

I heard her sigh. "Look Mai. I know this is hard for you, but... I think it would be better if you saved your strength and…" When she saw my face, she sighed again. "Bou-san, can you please get a wheelchair?"

Bou-san gave her a weird look. "I don't think..." He decided not to complete his sentence when Madoka sent him a nasty glare. Then he left to get the wheelchair. Sometimes, it was scary the way Madoka got others to do what she wanted, but I was grateful she was doing this for me.

I smiled as my tears continued to fall. "Arigatou."

"I don't think the doctors will appreciate it, but... I think it will help Noll." I laughed a little.

I took out the IV in my arm and Madoka helped me off the bed. As soon as my feet touched the floor, my legs began to tremble. Who knew you could feel so weak after three days of staying in bed, in a coma for that matter? Madoka practically carried me to the door. Bou-san was waiting outside for us with a wheelchair. Madoka set me down and walked in front of us as Bou-san wheeled me to Naru's room.

"Here we are," Bou-san announced.

"He's right next door?" Naru's room was only one room down and I was in a damn wheelchair!

"Sorry, Mai. I didn't think it would be necessary for you to have a wheelchair, either," Bou-san defended himself.

"It's necessary," Madoka retorted. "I'm sorry Mai, but you're too weak to even walk this short of a distance. This is the only way you can see Noll, and you know we can't take his bed to you."

_You could... it's just an option._

I anticipated seeing Naru's face for the first time in apparently three days. I was also scared. I remembered the distraught look on his face before I closed my eyes. He looked so weak and pale, I was afraid he would never wake up. Who knew what he would look like now? And I remembered the affectionate way he held Megumi right before he drifted off; it was such a touching father-daughter moment. I hoped he would wake up soon so I could see him hold her again.

Madoka opened the door and let us through. My first glance at Naru made me sick. There were so many wires hooked to his arms. There were too many machines. He had a breathing tube down his throat. He looked so gaunt. I could feel more tears falling down my face.

"Mai, you're awake," Lin said from the corner of the room. He set down a black binder he was reading. It looked like the one Naru always carried.

I quickly wiped my tears away. "I'm here to see Naru," I told him. My voice quivered a bit.

Lin smiled, but then his look turned more serious. "You need to stay in bed; getting your energy back will-"

"Don't bother, Lin," Madoka said. "Mai's presence might help Noll. Besides, she's one tough cookie, so I wouldn't mess with her." She grabbed his arm. "Let's leave them alone." She also snatched the back of Bou-san's shirt and dragged the two men out of the room. I wheeled myself to the side of Naru's bed.

"Hey, Naru," I began. "I just woke up... How are you feeling?"

I mentally slapped myself. That was such a stupid question. "How's he doing?" He was obvious suffering!

"Please wake up soon. It hurts me to see you like this." I grabbed his hand and gave it a tight but curt squeeze. "I'm right here Naru. I'll be waiting for you when you wake up."

He still wouldn't respond and I almost started crying again.

_Please, please, please..._

I sat there next to him, watching him breathe. It wasn't until a few minutes later when I felt a tight squeeze on my hand. I rose my head up quickly. "N-Naru...?" I saw him squeeze my hand _twice_; my eyes were not deceived! "Oh, Naru!" I practically leaped out of my chair. Naru was progressing. He was showing signs of recovery; he was going to be alright.

I struggled to get out of my chair. I shook and fell as I slowly tried to get to him. I pushed myself onto the bed where he was laying. I tried avoiding as many wires and cords that were inserted in his arm as I could. I lied down next to him and put a hand on his chest.

"I'm right here, Naru."

And I always would be.

* * *

I was released from the hospital a few days later. Naru was still in the hospital, but after I was discharged, they put him the recovery unit. They removed the wires and machines, so he looked more decent, and I think his pale complexion grew some color. I would visit him everyday as much as possible to see his progress. He was still unconscious, but on occasion he'd make a grunting noise or give me some kind of signal telling me he knew I was around.

It had been a week since Naru stayed at this hospital when I took Megumi with me to visit him; I was still scared. A week. _A week!_ If it wasn't for the fluids that the doctors kept injecting into his bloodstream, he could've been dead by now! I constantly prayed to God and asked him to make Naru better; if he performed his miracle, I promised I would be nice to Masako... for at least a week.

I quietly but swiftly opened the door. As soon as Megumi saw her father, she squealed and reached out to him. I walked over to him and took his hand, and he immediately squeezed mine. "I brought Megumi with me today," I said to him. Megumi began to squirm in my arms, whining and struggling to get to her father. "And she really wants to see you." I laughed.

I gently put her on his chest and wrapped his arm around her small body. It was so touching to see. I almost shed a tear. I sat in the chair next to him and held his hand, again. I stared at him, as I always did on my visits, watching and waiting to see when he would finally move something other than his hands. Whenever I stared at him, it seemed only a few seconds, but on each of my visits, a doctor would always come in to tell me visiting hours were over. And Naru was still unconscious. I had a feeling Megumi might stimulate his senses and he would finally be able to move (or at least open his eyes. I missed those deep, azure orbs).

I turned my gaze away from his face for a second to look at our daughter. She was resting innocently on top of him, her eyes were drooping, and she looked about ready for a nap. I thought about taking her off of Naru, but I didn't want to disturb them.

It got so silent, it was deafening. I was about ready to fall over and doze off, myself. I tried to stay awake, but sleep took over me.

-X-

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_I saw a young couple in a field. They were sitting on a picnic blanket. They looked really intimate, the way they were nuzzling each other and whispering sweet things into each others' ears. Suddenly, a bubbly little girl came out and ran at the young couple. She jumped on top of them, and the family began laughing. It was so sweet._

"That could be you_."_

_An echoing voice frightened me and I quickly turned to see who it was._

_"Aoi-san."_

_I couldn't believe it. She was right there, giving me one of her tender smiles. "_I would appreciate if you called me Okaa-san from now on._" I continued to stare at her. "_You seem surprised to see me._"_

_"Well... yeah, sort of. Gene told me-"_

_"_I was able to use some of my leftover power to communicate with you. I only have a short amount of time left._" I could see her body fade a little. I felt so bad; I had so much to ask her._

_"Well while I'm here, I want to thank you for helping me and Naru's relationship. I don't know where we would be if it wasn't for you."_

_"_I'm sure you two would have been in Shibuya tearing at each others' throats, right now._" That made us laugh. "_I'm glad you're happy, Mai. You are as dear to me as you are to my sons._" She put a hand on my cheek. "_The dear daughter I've always wanted, but never had who can set a positive equilibrium between my sons. I don't know what I would do without you..._" I saw her skin dissolving under my touch. "_I only have this to say to you before I leave: Please, take care of Kazuya for me._"_

_"I won't fail you." I put my hand on top of hers. "Okaa-san." A tear fell on my hand and slipped through her fading one._

_"Arigatou, Yome..."_

_Her sweet, mesmerizing voice faded away and her pure body vanished. I fell down and sobbed._

_~Dream End_~

-X-

I felt a light tap. An irritating light tap.

"Mmm... leave me alone..."

The tapping wouldn't stop, and my irritation grew.

"I said...!" My head sprung up faster than I could blink. The next thing I knew, I hit my head against something hard. I groaned, rubbing my head. I heard someone else hissing, and my head shot up again when I heard it (this time I was careful not to bump into that person). My eyes glistened at the sight they saw. The most handsome, narcissistic, intelligent man who I fell in love with right in front of my eyes.

"N-N... Naru...?" His eyes averted to me, turning from a painful look to a softening appeal. "-Naru!" I plunged at him, though I didn't forget he was still holding Megumi. He started coughing harshly, so I quickly backed off. "Gomenasai!" He coughs began to calm, and then his eyes turned back to me. He looked sort of mad. Sort of. "I guess I got too excited." Even though I still couldn't hold in my anxiety, I didn't want to get Naru too worked up after he just woke up.

Naru's attention suddenly broke from me to Megumi when she started giggling. His irked face turned back to its relaxed, gentle look. Megumi was his pacifier. I felt jealous of her for a second for taking all the attention, but then I remembered something else. "Oh! I should probably get a doctor to che-"

I was interrupted when Naru's lips crushed into mine. I couldn't defy his urge; his lips were working their magic on me, again. When he released, I felt lightheaded, my legs felt like jelly, and my lips felt swollen. Naru held onto me. He probably knew I would fall if he let go.

"... you're an idiot," his hoarse voice said.

"Na-"

"You're not supposed to break your promise."

"Don't talk, Naru. Your voice-oh!"

He pulled me into his chest. I was close enough to feel his breath against my ear. "Stay with me, Mai..."

I looked up to see his face, showing a familiar look:

Possession.

"I-I promise, Naru."

After that, our lips met once again, never breaking apart...

Until we realized Megumi was in between us, watching her parents make-out.

* * *

_Yome - daughter-in-law_


	24. Tears

**Ch. 23 Tears**

A few days later, Naru was released from the hospital. Right after that, someone from the morgue called the inn to tell Naru they found Gene's body. They said they found him drifting by the rocks near the shore. Naru left as soon as they called. I went with him to see for myself. I knew it probably wouldn't be a pretty picture: a decaying corpse that had been stuck at the body of a lake for years, rotting in a blanket. But this would be a very sensitive moment for Naru, and also for me too. After all, I never knew Gene was dead in the first place; now that I did know, and after all he did to help us in our struggle, the least I could do was pay my respects by looking at his real body.

Once we were at the morgue, time seemed endless. Naru stood there with an unusually unNaru-like expression was on his face, looking upon the deceased body of his long lost older twin brother. I stood there beside him, trying to take sight of this overbearing setting. Gene's flesh was scabby in some areas-probably the places where he got hit by the car-and some of it was peeling off the bone. His eyes were closed (thank God), but they looked rather peaceful, in a way. There were some open patches in his clothes, too. The body was no doubt unbearable to look at, but I couldn't keep my eyes away. That was Gene; I had to accept that.

I decided to go somewhere else, leaving the two brothers alone. Lin was also with us, but he chose the alternative and waited by the door instead of looking at the corpse. When I walked up to him, he looked kind of sad. Kind of.

"It's great, isn't it?" I said to break the awkward silence that lingered between us. "Naru finally found Gene... his body, I mean."

"Hai, it is." Lin replied, which surprised me a bit. "Now that they're together, I think they can both be at peace."

I looked at Lin in awe. I didn't know he could say something so... _refined_. But he was right. Now that the two brothers were reunited, I think they could both rest in peace...

* * *

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN HE'S GONE?"

Bou-san winced. "I mean he's not here anymore..."

I was furious. The day after we saw Gene's body at the morgue, Naru, Lin, and Madoka just up and leave to England for his funeral and they didn't even tell us until the very next day! I thought Naru wanted me to be with him, but _noooo_! I guess not!

"Why the hell would he do something like this? AH!" I began to throw the closest things I could get my hands on all over the room, while Bou-san tried to dodge them. "Naru is _impossible_!"

"Calm down Mai!" Bou-san gripped my shoulders tightly. "Naru probably didn't tell you because this was something he had to do on his own."

"But he can't do everything by himself!" I rebutted. "Naru has to learn just because he's a genius doesn't mean he can do everything alone. I want to be there." I had to be there. For Naru; and Gene.

I stormed out of the room into my own. Megumi was still asleep, so I tried not to wake her up. I laid down on the cot that me and Naru use to share, then I squashed a pillow against my face. I was so upset. If Naru went back to England, that meant he would never come back to Japan, and then where would the rest of us go from there? Would Bou-san quit his position in the band and go back to Mt. Koya? Would Ayako go work at her families hospital or continue to be a self-claimed miko? Would John go back to Australia? How would I support myself and Megumi? And then there's that offer Naru made when he was talking to Mitsuki (who he thought was me at the time). Even after he was released from the hospital, Naru never mentioned it. What really disturbed me was the fact that he wanted me to go with him. He also wanted us to be a family, but how could we make that possible in another country? I wasn't ready to go to a foreign country; I was barely ready to go to another city!

This was frustrating.

"Oh, by the way," Bou-san suddenly burst into the room. I shushed him, and he whispered softly, "Madoka wanted me to give you this." He handed me an envelope then left.

I opened the envelope and almost gawked when I saw what was inside. Two plane tickets, a wad of foreign money, a list of phone numbers, labled of course, and a pamphlet for some hotel: the Hah-li-dah-ee-in or something or other (I was never really good at English). I understood what Madoka was implying: she wanted me to come to England and convince Naru to come back. She was on my side!

_Well someone's got to remind him he's only human; he won't learn until someone teaches him._

I heard a soft squeak. It turned out to be Megumi yawning. I walked up to her crib. She was blinking her eyes and gurgling baby babble. I quickly scooped her in my arms. "Looks like Daddy's in trouble again, Megumi-chan." I softly spoke to her. "You and I are going to have to set him straight. Are you up for a little trip?" She replied with a yawn.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." I kissed her nose.

She gave me another yawn.

* * *

It took me awhile to convince Bou-san to let me go to London on my own-with Megumi, of course. He had to know this was a priority. I needed to be there for Naru (and for Gene, but we both know this is mostly about Naru. He'll understand). It took us awhile to get to the Numabe Train Station. Bou-san and I said our goodbyes before I boarded the train; and knowing Bou-san, they were very looooooooooong goodbyes.

"O-Okay, Bou-san... I... get it...!" I wheezed as he held me close to his chest. He finally let me go when he saw my face turning purple.

"Be safe." He repeated for the umpteenth time.

"Don't worry. Me and Megumi will be fine." I reassured him.

"Call me when you get there, 'kay?"

"Kay kay!" I before I grabbed my bags and Megumi's carrier, I hugged Bou-san one last time; then I entered the train. I waved to him as the locomotive went its way. He waved back with a sighing grin.

The way to the airport took a while longer than I thought, but we were there. The loading-on-the-train process was also long, too. When we were finally able to get on the plane, we were fortunate enough to get seats by the windows. I put Megumi by the window so we wouldn't have any trouble with strangers. What seemed like hours later, the plane was finally getting full and I was getting agitated. When the hell was this damn plane going to fly off?

"Ano, excuse me..." My thoughts were broken off when someone tapped my shoulder. "Is this seat taken?"

"Iie, you can sit... don't I know you from somewhere?"

"I don't think..." he paused. He must have recognized me, too. "You're that one girl I gave that ride to." He plopped down next to me. That's where I knew him from.

"Oh, yeah! Gomen, I didn't know it was you because, well... I never got a chance to see your face." When I met this guy, I was only concentrating on getting to Naru before his sinister phantom aunt did. I could only see the back of the guy's head. Now that I could see him, I couldn't lie: he was kinda cute (not as handsome as Naru, of course). He looked about two, three years older than me. He was wearing a black leather jacket with a plain white T-shirt underneath and jeans. He did seem to be going anywhere important. "Thanks again for the ride. It means a lot to me."

"No prob. So ano..."

"Mai."

"-where did you need to go that was so important?"

I was taken aback. Sure, I knew that question was coming, but I didn't think he would be that straightforward to me. "My friend was in trouble."

"Aa, I get it."

"Huh?" Now, I was confused.

"Never mind." He took off his jacket. There was a complex design on the back. There were two wings with the symbol for love in the middle of them. This guy probably had an eye for art. "Anyway, where are you going now?"

"I'm meeting up with him-"

"-your friend-"

"-yeah, and I'm going to try to bring him back."

"Why did he leave?"

"Something happened to his brother. He had to be there for him. I want to be with him, for both of them." I saw him nod in understanding.

"So why are you trying to bring him back? Isn't he coming back?"

"Well, no. That was his plan at first, but now... I don't know... But I have to try because... because..."

"... you love him."

I blushed a little. "H-Hai."

"Does he love you back?"

"I think so." I heard him chuckle next to me. "N-Nani?"

"If this guy loves you, then I think you have nothing to worry about."

"How do you know?"

"I just do." He laid back, both hands behind his head, with his eyes closed. "I was in a situation of yours once; but I don't want to bore you with details. Of course the moral of my too-boring-to-be-told story is that your gut isn't the only instinct you should trust. You have to have faith in the people you love, and everything will fall through to the end." I didn't realize it until then that he was wearing a crucifix around his neck. He was probably wearing it for style reasons, but I couldn't be too quick to judge.

"Thanks for the advice..."

"Hansuke."

I shook his hand. "Hansuke. It fits." He gave me a cheeky smile. "So, where are you going?"

"To meet a friend."

* * *

It took a long while to get to England. Like real long. I'm-not-even-going-to-go-into-detail long. But I got there, nonetheless. Fortunately for me, I had Hansuke to keep me company-and Megumi, of course. I even introduced the two to each other. He didn't seem disturbed that I had a child at the age of 17. Megumi easily took a liking to him He coddled her, and even hummed a melody to her. It was a sweet gesture.

When we were finally in England, I never got the chance to say goodbye to Hansuke. He just up and disappeared when we got off the plane. It was strange. I pushed the idea of surfing through the crowd to try to find him to the back of my head. I had to get to the hotel. The funeral was tomorrow and I needed to get ready.

I called a cab and told him where I wanted him to go (in the best English I could)-I wish I could have brought a Japanese to English dictionary or something like that on this trip. I wish Madoka gave me one with my Naru-retrieval package. He must have understood me because the next thing I knew, I was standing in front of a fancy hotel. It had the same insignia on the front like it did in the pamphlet. I went to the reception area and checked into the hotel. The reception lady smiled one of those fake, cheesy smiles as she handed me my room key. I quicky grabbed it from her and rolled my and Megumi's things and Megumi up to our room.

1...

2...

3! The third floor. Room 349. I released the handle of my suitcase to put the key in the lock and let ourselves in. The room was very nice, probably nicer than any other hotel I've ever been in. Of course I didn't have the time, not to mention the money, to go to hotels during my summer vacation, so I had to relish this opportunity. I unpacked my and Megumi's things; as soon as we were settled, I plopped on my cushy bed in relief. I made it to England all by myself. I had never traveled this far away from my home by myself. I never traveled this far away from home in my entire life, let alone England! I suppressed a sigh. I survived my first day in England. After I basked in my reign of glory, I made a very important call.

"_Hello?_" I heard a familiar voice in English.

"Madoka, it's me, Mai."

"_Mai-chan!_" I heard her squeal on the other side of the phone. "_You finally made it?_"

"Yep. But I can't understand what most people are saying."

"_That's okay. You won't have to do a lot._"

"What do I have to do?" I asked, curious about what she had to say. It wasn't like I didn't already have something planned. I mean, I was just trying to coax Naru back to Japan. I just hoped Madoka knew that.

"_All you have to do is show up at the funeral, but make sure Noll nor Lin notices you. Not until the time is right._"

I was glad that was all she had to say. "That's what I was planning." I replied. "I want to be there for both of them. Naru and Gene." I heard her sigh sadly at the other end of the phone. "Unfortunately, I don't have anything to wear."

"_I figured that-_"

"Hey!"

"_-and picked something out for you. Look inside the closet doors._" I followed her directions and opened the closet across from the bed. On the inside door, I saw a beautiful black silk dress. I gasped at the dazzling attire. "_I knew you would like it!-Oh! I almost forgot: I even got a little something for Megumi. It's on the other door._" I looked at the inside of the other door. Her dress was just as beautiful, only sightly puffier.

"Arigatou, Madoka!"

"_It was no problem at all-Oh, I have to go! Someone's coming; I didn't tell anyone else about this, so I'm going to have to hung up. I'll try to search for you tomorrow. Bye!_"

"Ja nae." I heard a sharp click, which probably meant either Naru or Lin came in and they were already suspicious. Knowing how quick they caught on, I would say they would find out... very soon.

I once again fell back on my bed. Tomorrow, Gene's funeral would be held. The thought literally gave me chills; I rubbed the goosebumps on my arms.

I plugged Megumi up. "We have a big day tomorrow, so we better get our rest up." I didn't get an answer. Megumi was snoozing on top of my belly. I quickly followed after her. I shortly woke up when I realized I didn't call Bou-san.

* * *

~ _Dream Mode_ ~

_I was waiting for Gene. I knew this would most likely be the last time we would be able to talk to each other, so we had to relish all the time we had left. If only he would show up._

_"Mai."_

_A breeze of relief blew over me when I heard that familiar soft voice. "Gene." I ran to him._

_"You went to England."_

_"Hai, I wanted to be there for you..."_

_"And Noll." I blushed, turning my head away from him. "It's okay, Mai. I won't undermine you. You need to be there for Noll more than I do. He won't let go of the past until..."_

_"I know, Gene. I'll try to bring him back."_

_"That's not what I meant, but sure, do that too."_

_I glared at him as he grin mischieviously at his remark. I smacked his arm. His smirk was almost as devious as Naru's. "Don't ruin the moment. We don't have much longer to talk and I don't want my last memories of you to be bloody because you decided to be as immature as your younger twin!" I pouted._

_He chuckled. "I know, Mai. I just decided to have a little fun, that's all. Don't reprimand me; I'm Naru's brother, after all."_

_I laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I really wish this night wouldn't end. I'm gonna miss you when you're gone." I muffled into his chest as I clung to him._

_"I'll miss you too." He put his arms around me. "Take care of the idiot scientist for me. For us."_

_"You don't have to keep reminding me." I stepped back, realizing I was crying because his coat looked wet and my eyes felt watery. "AH! Gomenasai! I ruined your coat!"_

_"It doesn't matter, Mai. I'm dead."_

_I blushed in embarrassment. "Oh yeah. I forgot." We both laughed._

_"Now that's something I'm never going to forget after I'm gone." Our laughing slowly died down. "I have to go."_

_"Now?"_

_He nodded, sadly. "I wish we had more time, but..."_

_"I know." I stepped back._

_"Don't forget to tell Megumi all about her jii-chan."_

_"How could I?"_

_Gene's form began to fade. "Sayonara, Mai." His voice echoed, dissapearing with his body._

_"Sayonara, Gene."_

_______________

* * *

_

The day had finally come. The day of Gene's funeral. I never thought I would ever be here to see it for myself, but sure enough, I was here. The mood fit this day. It was raining. The clouds were gray and grimly puffy. The atmosphere couldn't be more depressing.

I stood with a black umbrella over my head, holding Megumi's carrier with my other hand. We were behind the crowd of solemn family members and friends, not too far to hear the sermon. I didn't understand much of what priest was saying, but I still listened, my eyes closed. Megumi laid back in her carrier, sleeping. There were many teary faces, especially a couple in the front. The man was holding his weeping wife, sullenly. They must have been Naru and Gene's adopted parents. Next to them, I recognized Lin, Madoka, and the #1 narcissist in the world himself. He, unlike others, held an impassive face. Even Lin had a few tears. I would have thought that for once in his life, he would actually show some sympathy for his deceased brother. I guess Naru's heart was a solid, cold, steel lock that had been closed since that incident long ago.

Today, I would have to teach him. I had to unlock that frozen heart of his.

As I stood there during the sermon, I couldn't help but notice that I wasn't crying. I should have been; this was Gene's funeral, and I was sentimental when it came to stuff like this. But today, I just couldn't. Today, for me at least, this was suppose to be happy. It was a terrible revelation, considering what was happening at the moment, but I couldn't cry. I just couldn't. I had to stay strong for Gene and Naru.

_It's okay to cry, Mai._

No, not now.

The time finally came for them to set Gene's casket into his grave. This was the part of the funeral that made people cry the most. As they lowered the casket, I looked at Naru. His stoic expression seemed to changed. His eyes narrowed, and I thought I saw his jaw tighten. He was feeling something, but he didn't want anybody to see. He wasn't as strong as he wanted everybody to think.

As they began to fill the grave, some people, who I was assuming were his relatives, walked up to him, most likely giving him their sympathy. I could see that made Naru's scowl deepen. When they were all gone, I saw that Lin, Madoka, and the man and the woman from earlier stayed behind. Naru was still in front of Gene's grave, probably mourning. The woman walked up to Naru and put a hand on his shoulder. She was so beautiful. Her hair was dark brown with small streaks of gray, held in a neat bun under her veiled hat. She was pale-most likely from crying-and there was red around her turquoise-green eyes. She looked nice. I really felt like going over there and introducing myself, but that wouldn't be proper. I wasn't here to mingle.

_Go over and introduce yourself, Mai._

No, I don't want to.

When they left, I had my chance. But for some reason, I couldn't move. My feet stayed firmly planted on the ground. I was scared. What would Naru say if I just walked over there out of nowhere? I had a feeling he wouldn't be too happy about it. No, I shouldn't've been thinking like that. Why wouldn't he not be happy that I was here at the funeral, here to say goodbye to his brother? "Because it's none of your business." That's what he would say to me. That was such a Naru answer, anyway. He doesn't need me here. He can cope by himself.

_Go to him, Mai. He needs you._

I was startled when I heard a small squeak coming from the carrier. I looked down at Megumi. Her face was so elated when she saw her father. I took a deep breath, then hesitantly walked forward. As I walked forward, I waited for Naru to turn around and look at me. It wasn't until twenty steps later that he took notice of me.

"Mai," he said, no emotion in his voice. I could still tell that he was surprised to see me.

"Hello, Naru." I said in plain English. His narrow eyes slightly dilated.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm keeping my promise. Besides, this is Gene's funeral; isn't it? I couldn't miss this."

"The funeral is over." He turned away from me, facing the grave. "That's not the real reason why your here. Did he tell you to come after me?" That question got to me. I thought we were over this.

"Of course not. I came here on my own, and I brought Megumi with me." I lied. "I wanted her to get a chance to meet her uncle before we headed back. But to be honest, I wasn't going to just let you get away with that. You just left without even saying goodbye, and you might not come back..." I trailed off after that. Naru was giving me this weird look. I ignored it for the moment to introduce Gene to Megumi.

"Hey Gene. I came to see you, and I brought Megumi." I began. "I wish you two had a real chance of meeting, but this is the next best thing, ne?" I looked down at Megumi. She lay limply in her carrier, her eyes were open with awe. I had a feeling she knew what was going on, but I wasn't sure. She was still just an infant, after all. "That's your uncle, Megumi. He's up in heaven, but he's watching you and he loves you." I told her. She continued to stare at the epitaph.

I turned around back to Naru. It was so pathetic as he continued to act unaffected while he was standing in front of his brother's grave. The lessons would have to start now:

"Cry." He stared at me. Those weren't the words I expected to say, but they were words. But why "cry"?

It got his attention, though. "What?"

"Cry. Stop acting like a big shot, Naru. You're just as human as the next guy. I want to see tears coming out of your eyes. I want you to mourn for Gene."

He continued to stare at me. "Ironic." Before I could ask him what he meant, he continued. "It's ironic how you always have to cry for others like a habit, but now your trying to be firm. What's your motive?"

"I want you to show me how you feel Naru. Stop hiding everything from me." What was it going to take for Naru to finally open up to me? I wish he trusted me more. If we were going to be a family, then we would have to get rid of all the distrust.

I turned my attention back to Naru, who was no longer in front of me. He kneeling in front of the carrier, watching Megumi with tender eyes. He picked her up from the carrier and held her close. I held the umbrella over them, letting a myriad of raindrops fall on my head. It was so weird to watch Naru be so fatherly. He had never been this gentle before, except that time at the inn when he was playing with Megumi. How come he can show his feelings to a baby but not me?

"Oh Megumi," he sighed. He mumbled some other incoherent words to her, while she just blinked and smiled innocently at him. His eyes were smiling. "If I were to just come out of the closet, let my guard, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I hurt you or your mother."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

Naru took his eyes away from Megumi, back towards me. "Mai, my emotions can get the best of my powers if I let my guard down so easily," he explained. "Back then, in that chasm where Megumi was... conceived, yes, Gene did possess me, but I was eventually able to take control of my body again, and I continued what he started..."

My eyes widened. "You did that... on purpose?..." I was utterly shocked, I have to admit. Naru fully intended to do that, fully aware of the consequences; but during that time, we both thought it was all a dream. We didn't know any better. "But Naru... nothing happened-"

"Something could have happened!" His booming voice made me jump. "Do you know what could have happened? Do you know much I yearned for more of you? I wanted to taste you, to touch you, everything...!" He sighed, trying to grasp control of his emotions. I stood there before him, still not moving. I was too astonished to say anything. I didn't know Naru... _desired_ me so much. What he just said meant so much to me, he doesn't even know it. He suddenly continued, breaking me out of my fluffy thoughts. "But I was afraid. I'm still afraid..."

...

I think I just went deaf. Naru just admitted he was _afrai__d_.

"Yes, I also have emotions, Mai. I am human." He said as if he read my mind.

I ignored his smart comment. "But you never show your emotions. Not like this." Most of the time, he was like a robot.

"Nobody should be concerned with my feelings. I don't need anyone to make me feel guilty for what happened to my family and I. I'm not a child."

I huffed. "So your just going to hide from everyone! That's not the Naru I fell in love with!" I saw his eyes widen in surprise. "The Naru I know wouldn't run away from anything, even if it was something out of his league! I know you're not the best with showing your feelings, but if you love me, you would trust me enough to show me how you feel! I know that's what Gene would want! That's definitely what I want! I will love you no matter what you do! Now cry for me! Please..."

As we stared at each other for that short period of time, I was beginning to feel like this was hopeless. Even I couldn't get to Naru; and I can provoke Naru to do many things. I sadly sighed. "Fine, if you really don't want to be honest with me, I guess this can't work out." I took Megumi from him and put her back in her carrier. Then I gave something to Naru. "This is the hotel I'm staying at. The room number is in there. You can come by if you want to say goodbye before we leave." I picked up the carrier. "Have a blessed day, Mr. Shibuya. I'm sorry for your loss." I turned away from him and began my journey back to the hotel.

_Don't give up Mai. Don't let Noll be alone, again._

A few steps later, I heard a harsh '_plop'_ sound. I turned around to see Naru on his knees. Crying. For the first time in my life, I saw sincere tears coming out of Naru's cerulean eyes. Sincere, innocent tears, as if he were a child.

"I'm sorry Mai," he choked out. "I'm so sorry... I want... I want you with me... I c-can't... live... without you!" He continued to sob with his hands covering his face. I was stupefied.

Then I ran to him.

I covered Megumi with my umbrella when I put her carrier on the ground. Then I clung to his neck, and cried with him. "That's all you had to say, you idiot scientist..." I said. He slid his arms around me and held me close.

He pressed his face against my shoulder, into my wet hair, and mumbled, "Thank you, Mai."

"Thank you, Naru."

_Thank you, Gene..._

* * *

_Hansuke - helpful friend_

**Before this chapter ends, I would like to briefly explain the significance of Hansuke. The wings on his jacket are suppose to be angel wings. I don't think I need to explain the rest, if I do, well... that's your problem. JK! But seriously, it's not that hard to figure out. He wears a cross around his neck and the symbol of "love" is right in between the wings. Also, I don't know what Naru's mother looks like, and when I wrote this, I put her as a blond. When I thought about it, she didn't seem like a blond, so I changed it. Thank you for your time.**

**Now that my brief explanation is done, I'd just like to say thank you to those who read this chapter! I worked really hard on this one, probably the hardest. Next chapter's coming, don't worry! I just don't know when...**

**_R&R!_**


	25. Say What!

Yay! I updated quicker this time! I'm so happy!

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Ch. 24 Say what...!**

**_Ring...!_**

...

**_Ring...!_**

_UGH..._

**_Ring...!_**

_Someone, _please_ turn that off._

**_Ri-!_**

"_Hello_," I heard someone say next to me. I tried to ignore it so I could go back to sleep.

"This is your 10:00 o'clock wake up call." I heard the person on the other side of the phone say. Why was she so damn _loud_?

"_Thank you._" They hung up.

As I tried to drift off, I felt a pair of strong arms pull me against a wall. I tried to push against it, but when I tried, I found out it wasn't a wall. They were abs. Six pack.

My eyes popped right open. I turned around and almost screamed if I hadn't covered my mouth with a pillow. Right next me, his eyes staring right into my mine, holding a narcissistic smirk on his face, was Naru. "Ohayo," he simply said. I was still freaking out. So many thoughts were scattering in my head. It took me awhile to remember that Naru stayed over the night, and he slept in my bed. With his shirt off.

"Stop staring at my chest, Mai," he said. I blushed.

"Gomen! I'm just not used to seeing you... bare-chested."

He his smirk grew. "Try not to drool."

I punched his god-like chest. "Jerk!" That just made his smirk grow.

He startled me when he put his hand on my cheek and kissed me. His smirk turned into a smile. I blushed again. It seemed like only yesterday when Naru finally confessed to me. Oh yeah, it was. I just couldn't believe that it was only yesterday, the day of Gene's funeral, when Naru confessed his love to me. After our little scene, Naru decided to go back with us to the hotel. What could I say? I was blushing crazy-mad thinking about last night!... Then my blush instantly went away.

"What's wrong, Mai?" Naru asked me.

"It's nothing."

"Mai..." Naru's gave me a warning look. "Don't hide things from me."

"I don't think I should say..." Naru's glare was getting colder, so I gave up. He's so stubborn. "I was just thinking about... yesterday..." Naru's eyes were drifting away from my gaze, which went to the ceiling. I continued, anyway. "I feel a little guilty because I was so happy, but I guess that's what Gene wanted, ne?" He was still silent. "I told I didn't want to say it."

"It's alright, Mai." We laid there, hand-in-hand, staring at the ceiling. Naru's eyes were closed. I was afraid of what he was thinking. He said it was nothing, but I knew I made him really upset. He finally released my hand and sat up. "Let's get ready."

"Nande?" I asked, a little disappointed that he was no longer laying next to me.

"It's time for breakfast. Do you want to starve?" He teased me.

I stuck out my tongue. I knew I had to get up anyway. I couldn't let my precious baby starve just because her mommy was being lazy. I sat up and walked over to the crib (courtesy of Madoka), and found Megumi still asleep. I decided to get changed before waking her up. I changed in the room because Naru was in the bathroom. Once I was dressed, I picked up Megumi, and changed her out of her pj's. She woke up, but she looked too tired to notice what I was doing.

Naru came back into the room by the time I was done. "Let's go." He grabbed my hand.

"Careful, Naru! I'm holding Megumi!" I cried. Her head was laying limply on my shoulder, and I was afraid she would fall over if I wasn't careful. That made him slow down. "I don't understand why you're rushing. I'll be here for two more days."

"I want to spend as much time as I can with you," was his answer. That was probably the sweetest thing he'd ever said to me (besides what he said yesterday), but he made it seem like he had something to do. He probably did, since his parents run a psychic facility of their own, so time was of the essence for both of us. It was also so unexpected thing to say, coming from Naru. I know he loves me and he wouldn't hesitate to admit it, either, but still, this was _Naru_ talking. The #1 narcissist in the world. There was something going on in his mind; I wondered what it was.

We got breakfast as soon as we were downstairs. Megumi was sucking on her sippy cup, which was amusing to me. She looked so cute as she played with her "Cup of Wonder". I stopped looking at her when I heard Naru chuckle.

Naru _chuckled_. This day was just full of surprises. I guess England does that to you.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You." I sweatdropped. "You are so amused by everything, Mai."

"That's not true! I don't like _everything_."

"What don't you like?"

I looked to the side and saw a table fulled with giggling girls about my age. They were looking over here, and I knew exactly who their gaze was aiming at. I sizzled. They all suddenly got up, throwing away what was left of their breakfast, and as they left the cafeteria, they walked past us. Some were winking at him; I thought I saw one of them rub their arm against his. Naru seemed impassive about it. They obviously missed the highchair holding the four month old infant. "I hate _that_, for instance." I growled. Naru smirked at my jealousy. "And... coffee, homework, tasteless humor... not a whole lot, I guess."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Blue."

"Music?"

"I like a little rock and pop."

"Food?"

"Riceballs."

"Flower?"

"Lillies. Why are you asking so many questions?"

"I don't know that much about you, Mai. If we're going to be together, we need to know more about each other."

I thought for a moment. He was right (of course). This would be my chance to get to know more about Naru. All I knew so far about Naru was... nothing. At the office, whenever I was in his office, all he seemed interested in was just the paranormal. This was a great opportunity to know more. A lot more.

"Alright, then it's my turn. What's _your_ favorite color?"

"Black."

"Music?"

"Nothing."

"Food?"

"Tea."

"That's not a food."

"I don't have a favorite food."

I knew it. Tea was his life. I sighed. "Flower?"

"... Roses." That answer shocked me. I didn't think Naru would have a favorite flower.

"Roses?"

"Is there something wrong with me favoring roses?"

"No! No! Of course not! But it's kind of a shock." I felt bashful. I began fiddling with my fingers. "So, ano... why do you like roses?"

He put his head back before he answered. "They remind me of my mother." There was a long pause before he continued; and that pause was really awkward. "When I was younger, that was the last thing I remembered of my mother. Her scent, and their color: blood red."

"But that was when you were just an infant, wasn't it?" Naru's head craned to look back at me. "I mean, that's when she died."

"I'm a genius, Mai." I should have guessed that was going to be his answer. "My memory is a little vague, but I can only comprehend that one time I was with my mother." He took a sip of his water. "Yes, Gene and I were only infants when she died, right before our eyes." I covered my mouth to prevent a gasp from coming out. "Our father wasn't around at the time, so it was too late to save her. Of course I didn't know who was the perpetrator, until now." He seethed that last part. "But when she was murdered, one of the vases in our nursery fell next to her, petals floating all over the room. The roses were drenched with her blood, and they suddenly turned black. I can't remember anything else after that."

"... W-Why does that make you love roses?" I hadn't realized I was crying until I heard myself whimper. "I-I mean, your mother died, and because of that... the roses turned black..."

"My mother loved flowers. There wasn't a single room in our home that didn't have a vase full of them. From what she told me, roses were her absolute favorite." He clenched his teeth in an attempt to prevent his cries.

"Naru, I told you before-"

"I know, Mai," he grabbed hold of my hand. "but I feel much better talking about it with you." He gave it a quick squeeze in reassurance. "I'm fine, I promise."

"O-Okay." I wiped away my tears. "How about we stop the interrogating for now, ne? How about we just look around the city?"

"Alright."

We ambled through the city of London, window shopping, sight-seeing, and mostly talking. I was really enjoying my time with Naru; I never knew he had more to talk about than ghosts. We stopped at a local park. I enjoyed sitting there, leaning on his shoulder. He had his arm around my shoulder. Megumi was laying comfortably in her stroller. It was perfect...

... until a cell phone rang.

"_Hello?_" Naru answered in English. He suddenly got angry at whoever was on the phone. "_Fine. I'll be there._" He hung up. "I have to go home."

"Nani? Right now?"

"I'm sorry, Mai. My parents didn't know where I went, so I have to go back." He kissed me. "I promise I'll be back later." Then he kissed Megumi and he waved off. I waved back, sadly. I sighed.

"MAI!" Something, or rather someone, attacked me out of nowhere.

"Madoka!" She gave me the most deadly hug I had ever received. "What... are you... doing here...?" I wheezed.

She released me as she said, "I watched the whole thing, Mai! It was the sweetest thing I've ever seen Noll do! You really got to him! I knew you could do it!" She didn't answer my question properly.

"Madoka, why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I followed you two!"

_Okay, that's a creepy answer._

"Why'd you follow us?" The answer was right there in front of my face, but I wanted to hear what she had to say.

"_Because_ I couldn't miss this for _anything! _I've never seen Noll with such tender eyes before. He looked so much like Gene, it was just-AH! I'm so exhilarated I can't stand it! Did you know I had to make up an excuse to be here with you, and I almost got caught too; our plans would've been ruined! Ugh! So, give me details! I need _details_!" Some passersby were staring, probably wondering what was wrong with this crazy woman. I didn't blame them; I was trying to figure that out myself.

"Hai! Hai! Calm down! I'll tell you later. I promise. But did you really get into that much trouble to be here or are you just exaggerating?"

She was suddenly still; a light tint of red appeared on her cheeks. "Well... you see, Lin was... it's complicated..." Madoka blushed and turned away.

_... Ah, _I_ see..._

I should have known about this long ago. At the cliff, I saw the way Lin and Madoka were looking at each. Pure compassion. They were in love. Why I just figured it out, I don't know. I guess I would never figure Lin to be the romantic type. Sitting here, next a cherry-red Madoka, I could see I was mistaken. I leaned in closer to Madoka so we could meet eye-to-eye. "So, what's the deal with you and Lin-san, Madoka?"

Her eyes widened, as if she had no idea what I was talking about. "W-What about me and Lin?

"Don't play dumb with me, Madoka-chan!" I poked at her. "You and Lin are pretty close; what's up?"

She gulped and fidgeted with her fingers. "Well... okay!" She her shy and playful façade turned into a very serious one. She grabbed my wrists and stared straight into my eyes. "I can't lie to you, Mai,"

_Yeah, I've been told that before._

"but I need to tell you this. You're the only one I can trust with this secret. But you have to promise not to say anything. _To a__nyone._"

I put my hands up in defense. "Got it. Got it. I promise I won't tell. Pinky promise." Our pinkies entangled, then untangled. "Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

Before she told me, she looked around the area, as if she was making sure no one else was listening. Then she leaned into my ear, whispering her intense secret...

* * *

"OMGOMGOMG_OMG_!" I screamed into my pillow, kicking my legs into the air, excitedly. "This is so great! Wonderful! Fantastic! Omigosh, it's so great I need to make up a new word for it!" I was practically jumping up and down the bed, I was so excited! I could feel Megumi standing up in her crib, with the support of the bars, staring at me, wondering what was wrong with her mother. "Megumi, can you believe it?" I snatched her up from the crib. "You're excited too, aren't you? I am! Ah! I can't control myself!" I began to twirl around the room, holding Megumi high in the air. I was careful not to let go.

I was really excited (obviously!) because of the news Madoka told me. She said she and Lin have been keeping it a secret since the nearly a year! It was all because of, well, our little "phantom" situation. Now that that was over, they would being telling the rest of the gang very soon, hopefully.

My little spin-off was interrupted when I heard a knock coming from the door. Someone probably came over to complain about of my shouts. I wasn't _that_ loud, was I? I approached the door shyly. I opened it, revealing, fortunately, not another guest at this hotel. "Naru!"

"We're going out tonight."

"..." So much for a hello. He just arrived from his parents' house, and that's the first thing he said to me. Good ole' Naru. "Nande?"

"It's a surprise." I couldn't tell what he was up to. His voice was so vivid and it didn't seem like he was hiding something.

"Are we all going or is it just the two of us?" I glanced over at Megumi's crib where she was happily staring at the two of us.

"I already planned for her to stay with a friend."

"Really?" Now I knew he was up to something. "Fine, let me change into something nice." It took me a few minutes to find something nice enough to wear. I finally found a pretty blue ruffling blouse and a white skirt. I put Megumi in her carrier and we left. "So, who's this 'friend' of yours."

"We're going to meet her on the way to the restaurant."

_Her?_ We were almost at the restaurant when we almost ran into someone. "Madoka?"

"Oh god..." Madoka covered her face with one hand and turned to the side.

"How'd you know?" I asked Naru.

"A crazy woman with pink hair hiding behind a lamppost isn't hard to notice." I wonder why I didn't notice. "Now that you're here, can you please watch Megumi for us?" He took the carrier from me and gave it to her.

"Oh, going on a date, are ya?"

"Don't you dare follow us." Naru grabbed my arm and dragged me away.

"So, where are we going to eat?"

"Who said we were going out to eat?"

"Huh?" He took me to the park. It was pretty dark out, so we were the only ones there. "What's going on, Naru? Why are we here?"

"Shhh..." He put a finger on my lips. "Just wait." He made me sit on a bench and put my hand in both of his. "There's something I want to ask you, Mai, but there's also something I wanted to tell first." He got on one knee.

_Oh my god!_

"Okay," I quickly stood up and he followed suitely. "You've been weird all day. Who are you and what did you do with the real Naru!"

"... I am Professor Oliver Davis."

...

...

**_SAY WHAT!_**

I was standing there in such a daze, I didn't notice I fainted until it was dark.

"Mai!"

* * *

I know this chapter was kinda boring, but I'm trying to work something out. Naru has told Mai the truth! What will happen next?

**_R&R!_**


	26. One More Day, One More Chance

**Ch. 25 One More Day, One More Chance**

...

...

"Mai."

...

"Mai, wake up."

"Wha...?" I felt winded. It was like someone took the breath out of me. I felt someone lightly patting my cheek. "Naru...?"

I saw him nod. He looked worried. He helped me sit up. "Are you okay?" he asked me, concerned.

"I think so. But I think I'm hearing things."

"Like what?"

"I thought you said that you were _the_ Professor Oliver Davis."

"I wasn't Oliver Davis, Mai. I _am_ Oliver Davis."

I blinked. Naru raised an eyebrow. "_You're_ Professor Oliver Davis?"

"That's what I just said Mai."

"I heard you, it's just... AH!" I jumped up from the spot I was laying and started walking away. I was so confused. This man, the absolutely most egotistically, narcissistic, and extremely intelligent man was Professor Oliver Davis. _The_ Oliver Davis who Bou-san idolized so much. _The_ Oliver Davis who threw a tin block against a wall using his PK powers. _The_ Oliver Davis who found that billionaire's son using clairvoyance. I was hoping he would pop the question or something like that, but this was just... _whoa!_

I could hear him getting up and following me. "Mai, where are you going?"

"I don't know! I just... need somewhere to think...!"

"Mai, calm down!" He grabbed my wrist and made me face him. "I know this is a shock to you, but I think it's best if I explain when we get to the hotel."

"Explain what? Why you, of all people, would hide such a huge secret and just decided to tell me now, and almost give me a heart attack!" I shouted. "Why would you lie like that, Naru? That whole entire year I spent with you, the time you spent with SPR, you were deceiving us all. Why couldn't you just tell us?"

He was silent. He was still wearing that stoic look on his face, as if he had nothing more to say. As if this wasn't as big of a deal as I was making it. It was a big deal and I didn't understand why he wasn't taking it as seriously as I was. He's the most serious person I know! "I only had one purpose for coming to Japan; to find Gene. I didn't want any nuisances to get into my way."

"You mean me? Are you calling me a nuisance?"

"Iie! Mai, what I mean is that if anyone found out I was Professor Davis, then the press would be in the way. I wouldn't be able to get any work done. That's why I had Yasu cover for me on cases when we were dealing with the press."

"That doesn't really explain why you lied to _us_! Your _friends_!"

"... It's complicated, Mai. You wouldn't understand."

"Not this again! Naru, I don't have to understand and I'm not trying to understand. I just want to _know_. And until you decide to tell me why you couldn't tell the truth, I'll be at the hotel, or with Madoka. I'll be leaving in one day. Good day, Naru, or should I say Mr. _Davis_."

Leaving him to his thoughts, I walked all the way to the hotel by myself that night.

* * *

"He told you?" Madoka asked as soon as I told her what happened at the park. I knew she would be all over me as soon as I returned from me and Naru's little "date", but what she didn't expect was Naru confessing about his true identity. "I never thought he would have the guts to tell you the truth."

"You'd think you know a guy... *sigh* maybe this isn't going to work."

"What are you saying Mai? Don't tell me you're giving up _again_."

"Well... think about it. Naru's this famous paranormal professor or whatever, and he left his work to go all the way to Japan just to find his brother. That's the only reason, ne? Then what's the point? If he's just going to lie to me without even thinking about it, then what was the point of coming here and giving him the trust speech of a lifetime!" I wanted to yell at her too because she and Lin knew about all of this from the beginning, but Naru probably told them to keep their mouths shut.

"It's not as simple as that, Mai. Noll did go to Japan to recover Gene's body, but if it wasn't for you, he would still be the same cold, hard rock we used to know." She put Megumi in her crib and laid next to me on my bed. "You know why Oliver Davis suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth? Noll decided he no longer wanted his pictures in the archives anymore when he went to Japan. Since no one knew what he looked like, it was hard for people to look for him. Nobody bothered to search for him anymore, so others started claiming they were the renowned Professor Oliver Davis. Most of the frauds were caught thanks to yours truly, but it greatly ruined the reputation of the real Oliver Davis. Now that he's back, Noll has to deal with all of those issues, not to mention his family has to deal with it, too."

"But if he was coming back to England, why did he form SPR?"

"SPR is actually a branch company from Gene and Noll's family institution: the Society of Psychichal Research. It was started by Gene when he went to Japan." Right then, I felt the guilt crawl onto me. I had no idea Naru had to deal with so much; and his family had to suffer, too. I feel like an ass. No, bigger than an ass. "Noll could go back to Japan, you know. He just has to finish dealing these issues, plus there are some bitter family members who won't get off his back about his future in SPR." I noticed how angry she became when she started talking about Naru's family. Not Naru's parents; they looked nice. The other people in his family must've been a handful since they made Madoka so mad, and she rarely gets mad. "I hope you understand, Mai."

I nodded, sympathetically. "Hai, I understand now. Kami, after all the things I said to him... I really don't deserve him."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Mai. If Lin said something like that to me, I'd probably freak out, too."

"Really?"

"Probably not."

I sweatdropped. She was still smiling. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up. I think tomorrow should be just for us girls. Me and Naru need a break from each other."

"Are you sure? You're leaving the day after."

"I know. With less distractions, Naru will be able to catch up on his work and he can go back to Japan. We'll be a complete family."

"That's so sweet, Mai. I'll do you a favor and tell him that."

"Arigatou." I sighed, halfheartedly.

"Well, at least your relationship seems to be improving."

"Yeah, I guess it is."

That night, Madoka stayed with me.

* * *

As soon as I woke up the next morning, I decided to go out for breakfast instead of eating at the hotel. Madoka wasn't around, so I guessed she already left. I got dressed in a white tank top with a blue sweater on top and short white skirt. Once I dressed Megumi, I put her in her carrier and went on my way to find a nice place to eat. Madoka taught me how to count the money here, so I varified how much I had left.

About $250 left. I had enough left to buy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a few soveigners for my friends and the gang. I really missed them. I couldn't wait to go home.

"Okay, Megumi, where should we eat?" She gurgled her response and I laughed. "Let's look around then."

We finally settled on a little café. There were only four people there; unfortunately, they were couples, and that wasn't going to help keep Naru off my mind. I really didn't feel like searching for another place to eat. I was starving and Megumi was getting restless. I would simply have to ignore those snuggling couples.

As I ate my breakfast, I couldn't help but look at the couples as they coddled each other. The way they were cooing at each other and giving each other secret kisses; it was making me sick. I know I'm a romantic, but that's a little much. I know Naru wouldn't do that. He would kiss me, but he wouldn't get carried and he sure wouldn't do anything that would make me feel uncomfortable.

_Dammit, Mai! You're here to spend time with Megumi, not to think about that narcissist!_

We left as soon as we had finished our breakfast (well, as soon as I was done. Megumi had her sippy cup). I went to the park, which was a huge mistake. The park was where Naru told me about his true identity. It reminded me of the yelling, the arguing, the ignoring, the abandoning...

That made me feel much worse than how I felt a couple minutes ago.

I heard a whine come from Megumi's carrier. "What is it, honey?" I picked her up from the carrier. "You need a diaper change?" Nope. "Hungry?" I just fed her. "What is it? I wish you could talk." She waved her hands to a couple at the other of the park. They also had a baby of their own and another child came running towards them. I knew what she wanted. "You want Daddy, don't you?" She whined some more, which was obviously a "yes". "Gomenasai, Megumi-chan, but Daddy's working. We can't interrupt him, or else he won't get to come home with us." She wasn't listening to me. "Please stop crying, Megumi-chan."

"Mai! Megumi!" I heard a familiar voice cry out at us.

"Madoka? What are you doing here?"

At the mention of her name, Megumi stopped crying and started waving her arms, begging to be carried by her favorite aunt. Madoka gladly took her out of my arms. "Aw! Did you miss your Auntie Madoka, Megumi-chan?"

"I think she's just interested in your pink hair." I chided back, laughing at her trying to pry Megumi's fingers from her rosy hair. "Now, why are you here?"

"You said it yourself, Mai. You wanted your last day in England to be 'just for us girls', so I came to join you two."

"Madoka, when I said that, I just meant me and Megumi, no offense."

"I only came because I knew you wouldn't be able to keep your mind off of Noll for a single day. Not without help, at least." She knows me so well. "Now, let's go shopping! You still need to buy some soveigners for the others back in Japan, don't you?"

She ran off with my baby before I could answer. I chased after them to catch up, but it was _not_ fun. While I was yelling at Madoka, I could still hear Megumi giggling in the background. Yep, I was setting such a great example for my daughter.

* * *

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it?" Madoka asked after taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yeah, real fun." I answered sarcastically.

"Aw, come on, Mai! I said I was sorry!"

"And that makes it okay for you kidnap my daughter and run around the mall through several different stores before I could catch up to you! Not to mention the police had to get involved!"

"Relax, Mai. We got some shopping done, didn't we?"

"Hmph." I crossed my arms. That wasn't how I wanted to remember my last day in England. Getting arrested. That does not look good on a resumé. "Fine. I'll have to admit, I had some fun. I'm really glad Megumi enjoyed it, anyway." I looked at Megumi as she sucked on her sippy cup. She was so oblivious to the past events in the mall, I was glad she enjoyed every single moment, even though I didn't. "I wonder how long her happiness will last until she realizes her daddy isn't coming back with us to Japan."

"Don't start, Mai. If you get all moody like that, Megumi will be able to indicate that there's something wrong. She doesn't leave things like that unnoticed, and you know it."

I sighed and glanced back at Megumi at the corner of my eye. I couldn't let that smile turn upside down. I had to stay strong for her. We both had to stay strong. It wasn't like we would be separated from Naru forever. Just until he was finished with the problems he was dealing with right now.

"Alright, I think it's time to go."

"What? _Why?_ We never even went to all the shops! Don't you want to see the London Bridge?"

"Sorry. Maybe next time." I inwardly scorned myself. When would there be a next time? _Would_ there be a next time? "I want to get packing and make sure I have everything before we leave tomorrow morning."

She gave me a disappointed sigh. "Fine. I'll help you, and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer!"

I smiled. "Arigatou, Madoka."

She smiled back. "No problem, Mai. I'll always be there for you."

"I know." We called a taxi to take us back. Our trip back to the hotel was more peaceful than when we left. It seemed like the hotel was the safe zone. Why did the rest of England hate me? As soon as we were back at my hotel room, I began packing my stuff. Madoka agreed to pack Megumi's things. I was glad she was there to help me. I didn't think I would be able to survive England without Madoka. If it was anybody else, I'm sure I wouldn't be alive today.

"That's the last of my stuff." I said to her when I was finished. "Are you done with Megumi's stuff, Madoka?" When I looked over to her, I saw her playing with Megumi. "Madoka!"

"Wha...? Oh! I'm sorry, Mai. She's just so darn cute!"

I frowned. "If you keep playing with her, she won't remember who her real mother is."

"You can have me and Lin's child if that happens."

"That would be extremely weird. Now," I held out my arms. "I'll be happy to have my daughter back while you pack up her stuff so we can leave for the flight tomorrow, if you don't mind." Megumi was also begging and reaching out to me at this point, so Madoka had to surrender her over to me. I was glad she would always remember who her real mother was. "I know what you're doing, Mori Madoka, and it's not going to work. Me and Megumi-"

"Megumi and I."

"You're doing it again! We're leaving tomorrow morning whether you like it or not. I can't stay in England forever. I have my own problems to deal with too, you know!"

She sighed for the nth time that day. "I'm sorry, Mai, I really am. I really don't want you to leave, not without Noll, at least. You really think Megumi will be able to handle going back home without her father after all you've been through?"

"So this is just about Megumi?" I said haughtily, putting said baby in her crib.

"You know I'm not just talking about her. Do you think you can handle the flight without him."

"I came here without him-"

"So you could get him." she retorted sharply. "The main reason you came here was to get Noll to come back. If he doesn't, then this whole trip was wasted."

"Madoka, I already explained before-"

"I know, I know! I just want to make sure you're certain." She grabbed me wrists and made me sit down next her. "Now, look into my eyes and tell me, honestly, if you will regret your decision."

"Madoka-"

"Look at me!" I froze and hesitantly looked into her eyes. "Now, please, just tell me if you will have absolutely no problem going home without Noll coming with you. You have no problem waiting for him in Japan, no matter how long it takes him to go back. If you can't, you can always wait here. I'll buy you both new tickets to go home as a family. Just tell me, Mai!"

"I... I..." I couldn't answer her. Madoka was so serious-more serious than I'd ever seen her-and she expected me to answer her right there on the spot. I had never been so pressure in my life. And for the first time in my life, I was scared of Madoka. Like, if-I-give-her-the-wrong-answer-I'm-dead-scared. I told her several times before I was so sure of my answer, but I was afraid if I told her that, she would never let this go. And now that she was holding it against me, I felt so guilty. It seemed like I was the bad guy. "Yes, I'm absolutely sure I can go home without Naru being there by our side."

She gave me one more look before she let go of my wrists "Great!" She started packing Megumi's things again, wearing her signature grin. If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn the woman a few minutes ago was a stranger. Now, I didn't know what was what anymore.

"I'm done packing, Mai! I'm going to go. I'll see you off tomorrow, okay?"

"Hai," I said quietly. "Meet me in the buffet."

"Got it!"

As soon as she left, I limply fell onto my bed and cuddled up to the pillows. I hugged one of them closely to my chest and sniffed. Then I cried.

_What have I done?..._

* * *

We met up with Madoka in the buffet just like I said. Meeting Madoka again that morning made me nervous, almost sick. After our little "talk" last night, I was completely out of it that morning. Not to mention I woke up early. Extremely early. And I was leaving until 8:00! Maybe I should have left last night? I wouldn't have to deal with Madoka then.

If only I had thought of that sooner.

I frowned. I was a fickle. And it was all Madoka's fault! Yep! I shouldn't have had a guilty conscience just because Madoka thought I was making a mistake just because I was leaving Naru behind just because I cared about him and Megumi had to wait for her father to come back to Japan, which we had not clue when that was going to happen. So much for it not being my fault.

Why can't I take that out of my mind!

"Have you had breakfast yet, Mai?" Madoka asked me, which broke my train of thought. "Are you ready?"

"Hai," I nodded. "Let's go." I was glad she didn't bag on me anymore, but with the silence filling the awkward void between us, it still felt like she was thrashing at me. The silence was thrashing at me for her.

When we were at the airport, Madoka did everything she could to stall, and she was very obvious about it too.

"Are you hungry? You know airplane food is not so appetizing. What about Megumi? Does she need to be changed? Do you need to go to the bathroom? You don't want to go on the plane-"

"Madoka, we're fine. I changed Megumi before we drove to the airport. Please, no more stalling. We have to go."

She gave me a sigh. How many times was she going to do that? "Alright. I'm done." She gave me a hug. "Please call me once you get there."

"I promise, I will." I hugged her back. I released her, but her arms were still around me. "Madoka..."

"Fine, fine. I'm done."

Once she let go, I grabbed Megumi's carrier and walked to the entrance where I was suppose to enter the plane. I was almost there, until I heard someone yell after me, and paused. At least I thought someone yelled after me. I couldn't tell. The voice was very faint. I shrugged it off and continued towards the entrance. When I took another step, the voice called out to me again. Was it my conscience? No, it was much louder than a simple thought in my head. It became louder and louder.

"Mai... Mai!"

I turned around to see nothing but a crowd of people (and Madoka was still standing there) coming either the direction I was heading or the other way. I kept telling myself I was hallucinating, but my feet stayed put. For awhile, I was staring at nothing, but then, I saw something. It looked like a fast, black blur.

_Omigosh..._

"Mai!"

_No, it can't be..._

"Mai!"

_I only know one person who wears that much black! But, why is he here...?_

"MAI!" He ran as if his life depended on it. Of course it did because I was leaving him until who-knows-when; I was important to him, why else would he be here?

"Nar-" He plunged his lips on to mine before I could get a complete word out. My stolen breath replaced his heavy pants as he desperately forced his tongue into my mouth. I struggled for air, but I couldn't resist his kisses. His arms wrapped around me and his hands manipulated my shirt. For a man who really cared for appearances, he had no problem putting his hand up my shirt while the people around us were watching our "little" scene. "N-Naru...! Naru, wha...!" I tried saying between each rough kiss.

"You forgot your promise, Mai," he finally said, letting my eyes meet his. "You promised to stay with me. Your not slipping away from me, not that easily. I'm going to make sure you'll keep your promise as long as you're wearing this." He pulled out something from his pocket. My eyes widened and I nearly dropped Megumi's carrier when I saw what it was (I'm surprised I didn't drop her when he started making out with me). A gleaming diamond on top of white gold appeared before my teary eyes.

"N-Naru... you shouldn't have..."

"How else am I suppose to make you mine forever?" he asked in his narcissistic manner. I was about to yell at him for being so ignorant at this moment, but then he wrapped his arms around me again. "I'm sorry," he said into my ear. "Hiding my true identity from you back then seemed like a good idea, but now... knowing that I was about to lose you... I wouldn't forgive myself. I should have told as soon as you came to me at Gene's funeral, but I was a coward. Please accept this ring," he put the ring into my hands. "as an apology if my explanation wasn't enough. I love you, Mai, and I don't want to lose you again."

I didn't know what to say. I never expected to be proposed to like this, but this was Naru talking. As long as he popped the question, it didn't matter. "I... I accept!" I put Megumi's carrier down and cling my arms around his neck. "I love you, too, Naru! I promise I won't leave you again! I promise..."

This was the greatest day of my life. Naru proposed. I guess my effort gave me more than I aimed for. Also, in the end, I did change my mind, but I wasn't going to let Madoka know that. She probably already knew.

His arms tightened around me, hugging my relaxed frame. "Arigatou, Mai. You have no idea how much your answer means to me." I tightened my grip around his neck.

"I know..."

* * *

**OLMM Omake!**

A woman walked up to a black car in the parking lot of the airport, grinning devilishly. She knocked on the window; the driver drew the the window. "How did it go?" he asked.

"Great, like I expected! I told he would hit it off!" She made the peace sign. "Let's celebrate!"

"How-" he was interrupted by a kiss.

"I think you know how." She gave him a seductive smile.

"Alright."

He drove to the apartment where the woman currently lived. It wouldn't be long until this mischievous couple would move to a house of their own. Once they were inside, she went into the her room to change, while he went into the living room and waited on the couch. When he heard a few footsteps, he snapped his head up and saw the sexiest thing his eyes had lain on.

_Whoa_, he thought. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction by saying that out loud.

"You like?" she asked.

He nodded. She poised to show off her sexy outfit. Then she walked up to him and sat in his lap. She planted soft kisses on his neck and he did the same to her. He pulled on her shirt, wanting more, and she followed his edict. Her mouth moved from his neck to his chest, unbuttoning his shirt. She stopped midway. "What wrong?" he asked.

"Oh my god... Lin, did you tell Martin or Luella he was leaving?"

"No, did you?"

"No!"

He turned stiff. "Shit...!"

A phone rang. "You answer it!" she rushed off his lap. "I'm going to change!"

"Madoka!" He sighed as she cowardly rushed to her room, and answered his boss's phone call.

* * *

That's the end of chapter 25! I hope you like my little extra at the end. I thought it would be funny to have a Lin x Madoka scene! I just couldn't resist! Madoka is a devil, and I just love it! I hope you also like the rest of the chapter!

**_R&R!_**


	27. Can't Take Anymore Surprises!

**Ch. 26 Can't Take Anymore Surprises!**

I was very glad we were on our way back to Japan-me, Naru, and Megumi, as a family. Not to mention we were in first class! And soon, me and Naru were going to get married! This was the way things were supposed to be. It was the first time I felt I had a real family in a long while, more especially because they were my real family, and nothing was going to stand in our way this time.

Hopefully.

I sighed happily as I laid my head on Naru's shoulder. "Something on your mind?" he asked.

"I'm just glad that you're coming back with us."

"I couldn't leave you, Mai. Even with those affairs at home, you and Megumi are my first priority."

"Aw! That is one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me!" I squealed and hugged Naru's arm. I quickly retreated. "Are you sure you're not a Naru imposter?"

He chuckled. It wasn't the first time he did it, but it was still a shocker. "I think you of all people should know that's it's still me, Baka."

I pouted. Yep, he was still the real Naru. "No need for name calling!" He laughed again. "Stop laughing! It's seriously starting to freak me out!"

He continued to laugh.

"Jerk."

Once we were in Japan, I couldn't wait to get home. I didn't know where we were, but I hoped it was near Shibuya. I couldn't take this time-consuming transportation any longer. The closer we were to Shibuya, the closer we were to home, and the closer I was to my warm, soft bed.

"Don't worry. We're close to home." he said as if he read my mind. I wondered how he always did that. Of course, he was a genius. "We're just need to catch a train."

I groaned. "Okay, but let me make a call first." I took out my cell phone and called my apartment. Ayako and John promised they would watch it while I was at Naru's condo when I was pregnant with Megumi. If I was lucky, Bou-san would probably also be there waiting for us. I forgot to call ahead and tell him Naru was coming with me; I didn't want him to start a brawl when we would arrive.

It rung on the other end a couple of times before somebody finally picked up. "Moshi moshi?" I recognized the feminine voice.

"Hey Ayako!"

"Mai! Are you alright? Where are you?" As she ranted, I remembered I forgot to tell her and John that I was on my way home. If Bou-san was there, he probably told them we were coming, and Ayako's just being a worried wart.

"Yeah, we're almost home. Is Bou-san there?"

"Yeah, he's here. The bum came yesterday. I beat him for not bringing you and the new baby home. He wouldn't even tell us if it was a boy or a girl!" I inwardly laughed. "So was your intuition right, Mai? Is it a girl?"

"You'll just have to wait and see." I said. I could hear her huff.

"You're just as bad as Bou-san. Maybe you two are related."

I laughed again. "Don't count on it. Can I talk to Bou-san?"

"He passed out on your couch. I'll wake him up if you want."

"No, don't bother him. When he wakes up, just tell him we're on our way."

"Okay, we'll see you soon, Mai."

"Bai!" I sighed as I hung up. It seemed like my apartment was in one piece, but with Bou-san there, Ayako wouldn't be getting as much beauty sleep as she wanted. She sounded so jittery on the phone, so she must've had it rough with Bou-san. In her condition, I was afraid of what would happen to Megumi once she met her aunt. Most of all, I wondered how John was dealing with it all. He's such a pacifist, he must've been going through hell.

When I went back to Naru and Megumi, he asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's just Ayako and Bou-san... you know how they are."

He nodded, and he looked a little irritated. Bou-san and Ayako had that effect on him and everybody else who wanted a decent night's sleep.

The train ride was longer than expected. I didn't know how long we had to wait to get off, but before I knew it, we were finally there. One taxi ride and we would be there. Megumi was very placid during the ride. She hadn't cried so far, but she did let us know when she was hungry or needed to be changed.

I was surprised to see that my apartment was still in one piece. I couldn't hear anything from behind the door, so I feared opening the door. Ayako was probably smothering Bou-san while John was praying in the corner.

Naru knew what I was thinking. When he opened the door, a pillow hit him in the face. Megumi and I laughed, but I stopped when Naru gave me the look. "You son-of-a...! I'm gonna kill y-MAI!" I quickly put Megumi in Naru's arm before Ayako tackled me. "It's about time you showed up! I missed you so much! Now where's my niece or nephew?"

"After what just happened, I'm afraid to let you near her."

"I told you children don't like you." I heard a daring Bou-san in the background.

"SHUT UP!" She took the pillow that hit Naru and threw it back at Bou-san.

"How about we all quiet down," John advised, thank goodness. "Shibuya-san and Mai have just arrived."

_I'm not the only one who lives in this apartment building, anyway._

Everybody agreed with that suggestion and we were finally able to get into the room. My apartment wasn't a mess (thank Kami) and everything seemed to be in place. I just hoped they didn't go into my room, especially Bou-san.

"Okay, we're all calm. Now can I see her?" Ayako pleaded. Naru was still holding her and it didn't seem like he would let go anytime soon, but I made him hand her over. Ayako seemed to know what she was doing. Even though she didn't look it, she would probably make a good mother one day (and certain monk who would be there when the time comes). "She's a cute baby, Mai. Looks like her mother (thank our stars)." She whispered the last part louder on purpose. Naru was glaring at her, thinking of ways to use his PK on her and plotting a way to make it look like an accident. "So, what's her name?"

"Megumi."

"She's so adorable. And she already favors her Ayako-baa-san."

"Yeah, right, old woman. Megumi knows that her Houshou-jii-san is better. After all, I've spent more time with her."

"In your dreams old man."

"Can you two stop bickering for 30 seconds?" Naru interrupted them, which was a first. He was the one who usually ignored them and pretended they didn't even exist. "It's quite obvious her father is more favorable." Naru took her back to prove his point. Megumi clung to him and snuggled into his chest. A river of tears came out of Bou-san and Ayako's eyes. "I'll be going now, Mai."

"You're leaving already? But Naru, we just got here."

"Don't worry, I'll be back tomorrow. Is the crib still at my condo?"

"Iie, we moved it back into Mai's room." John answered.

"Alright, I'll see you two tomorrow, then." He gave me Megumi and left, but not before he kissed both of us on the forehead. After he left, I was bombarded with questions.

"What the hell was that!" I had to cover Megumi's ears when Ayako yelled that.

"So, you two going steady, or is there something else we need to know?" Bou-san asked.

"What happened to Naru?"

"Was that actually Naru?"

"ANSWER MAI!"

"Guys, calm down!" We all looked at John. We had never heard him yell like that, so he flustered from the attention. "I'm sorry, but I think we should hold the questions until tomorrow. Mai and Megumi had just gotten hear, so it's better if they rest."

_Thank you John!_

I quickly retreated to my room. John followed shortly after with my bags. "Thanks for that, John. I knew they would be on my case about me and Naru."

"I'm not surprised. You and Shibuya-san seem to more... intimate with each other. It's quite... unusual, to say the least."

"I know, Naru's changed. A lot. And I know it's weird, but we love each other. That's all that matters to us."

John smiled. "Well, I wish the best of luck to you both, and Megumi-chan." Then he left. I was sure he was also curious, but being a priest, he had a humble soul. He would never press on something like that against me. And I was grateful for that. I hoped Megumi would follow more after him than her sketchy uncle and crazy aunt.

"This is your home, Megumi. Well, your temporary home, until me and your daddy get married."

"NANI!"

I heard a hard thump on the other side of my door. I knew then that my interrogation was just beginning; I would have to pack up and call Naru immediately.

* * *

The next day, Naru called me to talk about our move. We decided it wasn't fit for Megumi to live in Naru's condo, so we decided to pick a normal house in a nice neighborhood. With all the money Naru earns from cases, we had a enough to buy a nice traditional home; it was by the office, which made Naru happy. We weren't going to buy it immediately, though, since everybody wasn't comfortable with us being an item, much less getting married.

"What should we do now?" I asked him when I went to his house the next day. I didn't trust Bou-san or Ayako to watch Megumi and I didn't want to dump the responsibility on John, especially since they would be with him, so I took her with me. "Bou-san and Ayako will get on our cases if we keeping hiding from them."

"We're not hiding from them," he said as he continued to look through his newspaper. "we're just simply keeping them out of this because it's known of their business."

I frowned at him. "Naru, you know that's rude. We can't just avoid them. Besides, I want them to be apart of the wedding."

He put down his paper to look at me. "You want an actual wedding?"

"_Yes_! What did you think? Besides, I thought it would be nice to have a close friend like John marry us." He still didn't say anything, so I continued. "Also, wouldn't Bou-san be a nice Be-"

"No."

"Well, who would you choose as the Best Man, huh?"

"... Lin."

That wasn't really suppose to be a shock, but I was still perplexed. Even though they barely communicated on a daily basis, they were still close, in more ways than one. "Okay, Lin can be the Best Man." I said then kissed him on the cheek. "So, when do you think I should start packing?"

"Now. The condo may not be safe for Megumi, but it's better than being bombarded by Bonny and Clyde." I didn't know what he meant by that, and I didn't know who those people were, but I knew they had something to do with a certain monk and self-proclaimed priestess.

"Fine, let's go now, if you want to get it over with."

He grunted silently before getting up from his seat and leading the way to my apartment. Since he had his license, he drove. When we arrived, we were both a little hesitant to get out of the car. Once we opened the door to my apartment, we would immediately be ambushed by the duo. It was a risk we were willing to take, for Megumi's sake.

Again, Naru grabbed the knob, but this time he was met by two spiritualists falling over each other. When they saw Naru, they had murder in their eyes. If looks could kill...

"Look who came crawling back," Bou-san said, sardonically.

"I can only see two things crawling in front of me." When they realized they were still on the floor, they quickly got up and dusted themselves off. "Now move. Mai needs to start packing."

I think he knew that would cause more chaos, but I knew he knew what he was dealing with. It was Bou-san and Ayako for Pete's sake!

John was sitting on the couch flipping through channels, but he stopped to greet us. He seemed to be in one piece, as if he wasn't disturbed by the racket the other two were causing. That's John for you.

When we were in front of my room, I was afraid of letting Naru in. If he saw my room, he'd probably say something insulting about how childish my decorating skills were. I didn't have that much, so it wasn't as flashy as the average teenage girl's room. I guess it didn't matter then. I would be moving out soon, so he might as well see it now before all my stuff gets packed.

"Don't worry, Mai. I won't say anything about your room (if I can help it)."

"I heard that." He smirked. The insults wouldn't stop, even after we're married, I knew that. But he wouldn't be Naru if he didn't insult me all the time. "Fine, but you might not find anything to make fun of."

My room was plain, literally. Not much covered the walls except pictures of me either with my parents or my friends. There wasn't that much else I had in my room other than a dressing drawer with a mirror on top, a small drawer with a lamp near my bed, and a closet filled with some of my clothes. We only brought two bags: one was going to fill with clothes, and the other was for my other precious things. I put Megumi down next to the bags, and Naru was watching her.

Surprisingly, while I was packing, Naru was deeply enthralled with my unusually plain room, most likely elaborating an insult. I was just waiting for a sarcastic compliment. "Go on and say it."

"What's there to say? Your room is too ordinary." He probably wasn't trying to insult me, but it still sounded offensive. But he had a point. It didn't matter anymore; I was moving out, anyway.

As I was packing my... undergarments, Naru asked, "Mai, what is this?" When he asked, his voice sounded rigid. Why was he suddenly acting so highstrung?

When I turned, I saw he was holding the locket Yuki gave to Megumi for Christmas. "Oh, that's just a locket the little girl Yuki gave to Megumi for Christmas." I answered while turning back to the packing. "It was a nice gesture, don't you think? She said she found it somewhere, but you know how little kids are. Why do you seem so edgy about... Naru?" When I turned back around, Naru's head was down and the hand holding the necklace was clenched into a fist, shaking. For some reason, the locket was upsetting him. Did he see something? "Naru, what's wrong?" He ignored me.

"That bastard..." He mumbled. He dropped the locket and rushed out of the room.

"Naru!" He was already out of my apartment when I ran into my living room.

"What's going on?" Bou-san asked.

"I don't know. He just up and left. He got upset for some reason."

"Want me to go after him?"

"Iie, I think he'll be fine after he calms down." I said, reluctantly. Naru didn't seem like he was going to be himself for a while. In fact, he seemed madder than he had ever been before, madder than when I provoked him.

When I went back in the room, I immediately ran to my window. His car was still there, that was a good sign. He wasn't anywhere outside, so he must've had still been in the building. Of course, he just ran out my room like it was no one's business. It probably wasn't anyone's business, but I'd still like to know why he was so upset. I picked up the necklace and suddenly, I was in a whole different world.

* * *

_I was inside of a shop. There were many frames hung on the wall, vases and other forms of pottery, and jewelry everywhere. The items looked old and very expensive. This place must've been an antique shop. There were two other people occupying the shop besides myself. An old man was at the counter, helping another guy. He looked young, but I couldn't tell since I could only see the back of his head. His head was also down, looking at something. I leaned over to see that he was looking at a collection of necklaces. They looked priceless._

_"-sorry, sir, but none of this is what I'm looking for." the younger man said. "Are you sure you don't have anything else?" His voice sounded familiar, and so did the back of his head, apparently. He was also wearing black. My hands stifled a gasp. That man was..._

Gene...

_I was observing Gene's past. But what did the locket have to do with Gene? And why was he in an antique shop?_

_"I'll look in the back." The old replied. He disappeared behind a curtain. The young man, who was apparently Gene, sighed in frustration, leaning against the counter. He sounded desperate; whatever he was looking for must've been important. The old man soon came back out with a box, probably filled with more jewelry. "How about these?" He put out another set of those fancy necklaces. He still didn't look satisfied. __"I'm sorry, but that's all I have. You looked through everyth-"_

_"Wait, what's that?" His voice suddenly turned from discouraged to eager, and Gene practically glowed. I leaned over some more to see what made hims so delighted. I stifled my almost gasp with my hands. That was the exact same locket._

_"Oh, this is a piece from the Shibuya clan."_

_"The Shibuya clan?" Gene inquired._

_"I don't know much about them since they're reclusive nowadays, but I do remember they're an occult clan who used to do exorcisms around the time I was a child. They only do private exorcisms, now."_

_"I see," he fingered the locket, then asked, "Do you know the history behind this?"_

_"It's just a rumor, but I heard that the necklace protected the priestess of the Shibuya clan from demons. Why so interested in the Shibuyas, huh? You have a fetish for ghost and them; are you another one of those crazies?"_

_"No, I'm just a man on a mission." Gene said, modestly. "I'll take it."_

_After he made his purchase, he looked like he was walking to his next destination. I followed him to see where he was going. It felt weird. When Gene was with me, he used to be the one who guided me through these dreams. Now, I was watching him._

_He suddenly stopped walking and said, "I've finally found it." He took out the necklace from its case and struggled to open it. When he finally did, he marveled at it one more time before closing it and putting it back. "Now I can go back and explain everything to Naru. Idiot scientist has to be so worried." I laughed to myself. He still called him Naru back then. "Now, I think it's about time I go home."_

_This was when the scene began to seem familiar. He continued to walk, then stopped at the side for road. The green traffic light turned red, so he was able to cross the street. Midway through the road, I could see two distant lights. A car was heading towards him and he was totally oblivious. "Gene, look out!"_

_He couldn't hear me, and by the time he noticed the car, it was too late._

* * *

I gasped out loud when I broke out of the dream sequence. I looked at the locket. Gene had this locket, but what was the significance of it? What made him interested was the Shibuyas. Naru uses that name as a pseudonym, but that's his mother's surname. So did that mean that was Naru's real name?

I tried opening it, and after the first few attempts, I was successful. Inside, it was still empty, but there was an engravement.

_Shibuya Jin and Kazuya_

_September 19th_

Who were they?

The way Naru ran out of the room must've meant he already knew something. Why was he still hiding things from me?

I went to look for Naru for more answers. Now that we were engaged, I expected better from him. Naru was going to tell me everything, once and for all. I couldn't take anymore surprises!

* * *

GOMENASAI! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a very long time, but I'm trying! I had to stop one of my other stories because I having a hard time. Now school has started, so I have less free time. I promise to update faster next time!

And just when you think it's going to end, it doesn't. Don't worry, the end is nearing!

_**R&R!**_


	28. What's There to Fight About Now?

**A/N**: To atone for taking so long, I added a little OMAKE in the middle of this chapter.

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Ch. 27 What's There to Fight About Now?**

Just as I thought, Naru never left the apartment building. He was just in the hallway, but he still didn't look good. He was on the floor with his knees up, hiding his face in arms. That was the first time I saw Naru express his feeling so naturally. He always kept a straight face and barely lost any control, thanks to Lin. He wasn't acting like the Naru I knew; I could hardly recognize him.

"Naru, are you alright?"

"I just found out that my brother died trying to found our roots and he couldn't tell me until it was too late. Do I look fine?" Yep he was upset. I sighed, exasperated. Just because he was in a family crisis situation didn't mean he had to be snippy. But I guess he had the right to be snippy; Gene just loves lying to the both of us. I sat down and joined him.

"Naru, I saw it too. I'm not sure why he lied, but it was probably for a good reason, ne? This is Gene were talking about."

He laughed. "You have no idea, Mai," he spat at me rather venomously. He suddenly shot up from his place and began his rant. "This is the happy-go-lucky Gene that always acts before he thinks and always puts himself at risk for others. For a genius, he acted so stupid. He could've just told me and none of this would've happened. But he didn't and now..." He sighed and sat back down to his spot next to me. "The baka..."

"Remind you of anyone, Naru?" He stared back at me, for once in his life, confused. I did nothing but get up and walk away.

After his rant, I began to think. What right did Naru have to say all of that? He was such a hypocrite! Naru always does stuff without anyone else having prior knowledge; the way he thinks makes him seem stupid compared to a genius such as himself. I was so mad, I couldn't even explain it in words, and if I did, I wouldn't be able to show my face to Naru for awhile. I wasn't going to sink to Naru's level by telling him off. Gene did the right thing. In fact, when has it ever been wrong?

Thinking back to what Naru said, I couldn't help but wonder what the locket had to do with their family. Were they really Shibuyas?

_Aoi Shibuya._

That was their mother's name. So that meant she was a Shibuya. So who was their father? UGH! This was confusing. When I went back to my apartment, I heard faint crying from the inside.

_Megumi! Oh my Kami, I totally forgot about her!_

That made me think about all the times Megumi was ever in danger. That wasn't going to make me Mother of the Year. I rushed in to see the commotion. John was holding Megumi, and she instantly calmed down. When he saw me, he handed her back to me. "She was upset when you left," he said.

"Arigatou, John. That was helpful." I took Megumi back into my room and held her close. "Looks like Daddy's dealing with family issues again, Megumi." I told her. "Don't worry, he'll be back."

Outside, I could hear a car rushing out. Naru had left.

* * *

**Omake: Naru's POV**

I was confused. Gene, my long lost, deceased, elder brother lost his life for some... _necklace_. I didn't know what to think. His reasons were, in reality, selfless, but I couldn't take it; I definitely couldn't understand why Mai was so upset with me.

There hadn't been one case I couldn't solve in my life; this was doubtlessly a challenge. Mai always made things difficult only because she was always thinking of others, but she never thought about the consequences of her actions. She was a free spirit, much like my brother, but she had this aura about her that made me feel so infatuated with her. So much of her reminded me of my brother; that must have been one of the reasons why I loved her. Her presence always reminded me of my past, the part I actually enjoyed when I was a child. She reminded me why I should forget about my past, the part that made me feel rather vapid inside.

Now that I was remembering the most heinous moments of my life, I fathomed her reason for having such hatred towards me at the moment.

After Mai left me in the hallway, I also decided to leave so we could both calm down. If I stayed any longer, my actions would have been fractious. Mai, on the other hand, didn't look upset or mad, but her acerbic tone was an innuendo. I drove back to my condo; on the way there, I continued to think.

_Gene..._

I was still angry at him. Gene was not one to keep to himself, so why did he suddenly decide to act so ignorant when he knew his only family was worrying about him?

**_Martin and Luella aren't our only family, Noll..._**

I shook my head.

My conscience was being superfluous. A cup of tea and some solitude felt good right about now. Mai made my tea, though. Half of my subconscious euphoria dissipated. As I drove into the parking lot, I saw another car was already occupying my parking space. Lin and Madoka were here and waiting for me. Knowing Madoka, she probably called Mai first and her somber voice automatically implied that something was wrong. She would start bombarding me with questions as soon as I opened the door ajar. I didn't want to deal with her, especially since her mood was becoming less temperate nowadays. I especially didn't need her to tell me what I didn't want to hear; Lin and Madoka were having marital problems of their own, and I don't need to hear what I was allegedly doing wrong. I needed some peace and quiet, and was going to get it one way or another.

As soon as I entered my condo, I was slightly relieved. I knew she would be in SPR because I spent most of my free time in my office, but it wouldn't be long until she'd realize I wasn't there. I wondered how Lin was able to control her.

I used the rest of my placid time lying on my couch with the back of my hand resting on my forehead.

_Look at the trouble you're causing us, Gene._

**_I'm not the one causing the commotion, little brother._**

When I bolted up, I was suddenly confronting Mori Madoka, who seething in rage. "Glad you finally woke up after twenty minutes." she said acridly.

I sighed. "I know what you're going to say, but I have my reasons for leaving. If I stayed any longer, I would've had lost control over my powers. Something else has come up at the moment, so I decided Mai and I need some time to ourselves."

She sighed, frustrated. "You guys can't keep arguing like this. If you guys keeping going on that like, maybe you can't marry each other." I clenched my fists. She wasn't doing herself any good by upbraiding my relationship with Mai like that. "What's so important that you had to leave Mai like that, anyway?"

"... Gene." That shut her up. She slowly walked into my kitchenette. Lin, who was sitting across from me, watched her in concern.

"What happened, Noll?" He asked. "Did you... see something?"

I explained to the expectant couple about Megumi's Christmas present and how it was relative to Gene's death. When I gave them the whole story, I waited for their reply. They silent for awhile. I didn't know what they were thinking, and I was wondering whether or not they could forgive him. It was hard for me to stay mad at Gene for long, but my feelings were ambiguous. I had never felt this way before, not ever since his death.

"Even after you saw that, you still don't know why Gene went through of all of that?"

I scoffed. She made it seem like I was at fault. "Of course I do! I just don't understand why he didn't tell us! Why he didn't tell me..." I brushed my hand part way through my hair in exasperation. She's no Mai, but she is a very aggravating woman.

"We may not understand why Gene went through all that trouble by himself, let alone not inform any of us about his plan," Lin interrupted to prevent any violence between me and that feral woman. "but we do know Mai understands his situation more than any one us of right now." I doubted that, but I understood what he was trying to infer.

"I think you are right. I'll go back to her apartment tomorrow."

"TOMORROW!" Lin and I covered our ears. "Oliver Noll Davis, you are going to Mai's apartment to apologize to her NOW!"

I ignored her edict and went into my room. I had enough of a hormonal Madoka that day.

* * *

**Mai's POV**

Naru didn't come back that night, and he wasn't answering any of my calls. Was he still that peeved at me? Naru could really hold a grudge.

"It'll be okay, mate," John tried to console me. "Naru always comes back."

"I know, John, but this time is different. Naru saw something very... upsetting. It's going to take him a long time to recover."

"Mai's right," Bou-san said. "I haven't seen him run off like that ever since we harassed him when we first met. What did he see that made him so upset?"

I hesitated. What was I supposed to say? "Naru just found out that his late brother died trying to found out about their real family and he won't get over it"? Naru would definitely skin me alive if I told any of them that. Megumi seemed just as upset as her father, too. She began wailing as soon as she realized he was no longer in the apartment, and after a few hours, I was finally able to calm her down. She was sound asleep in the crib in my room.

"Did you see anything, Mai?" I froze. Everybody was now focused on me. I wasn't a very good liar, and they knew it. I wasn't going to betray Naru's trust; these were my friends, though. If I told them, they wouldn't understand, and that would mean I have to tell them everything from the beginning! AH! I was suddenly confused and dazed. Now they were all looking at me funny. Why was I always in the middle of other people's crisis'? "Mai, are you alright?"

"You look a little pale," Bou-san said. He put a hand on my forehead. I quickly swatted it away.

"Iie! I'm fine. I didn't see anything, and I'm pretty sure if I get more involved, Naru would say something like, 'You need to learn how to mind you're own business' or something." I shot up from my seat quicker than expected. "I'm gonna hit the hay early, you guys. 'Night!" And with that, I left the three confused and retired for the night. "What am I going to do?"

"Ga!" I turned to see Megumi awake, using the bars on the side of her crib as support to stand up.

"Did you have a nice nap, sweetheart?" I cooed. She replied with another "ga!" I laughed and took her out of the crib. "I'm glad. Daddy's gone, but he'll be back tomorrow. If he doesn't come back, I'm going to have to knock some sense into him." I said playfully bumping a fist to my head. She giggled. I hugged her. Her happiness was so contagious; I was glad she was able to cheer me up at the right time. "If only he were here..."

* * *

The next day started out normal. Well, more normal than usual. I wasn't as concerned about Naru as I thought I would be. Naru was Naru, and I just wanted to have at least one normal day after ten months of chaos. I would meet Naru later, or whenever he felt like meeting me. It was so Naru, I just expected it.

Breakfast began my day, and I was able to enjoy it without waking up anyone else. After breakfast, I got dressed and prepared for the rest of my day. Megumi began to stir, so I took her out of the crib, changed her, and when she was fully awake, I began to make everyone else's breakfast.

"I smell breakfast!" Bou-san suddenly came into the kitchen while I was cooking.

"Just wait, you pig. I'm almost done."

I heard him take a seat next to Megumi's highchair. "I think you're mistaking me for the old hag-ow!"

"I know you weren't talking about me, you old man." Ayako behind him. I didn't bother to look. I was sure they wouldn't do anything too violent in front of Megumi. She seemed to be enjoying it, though. I could hear her laughter in the background.

"Stop fighting, you two! I don't want your violence to be a bad influence on Megumi."

They immediately stopped. At the same time, John decided to join us in the kitchen. "Morning, mates," he greeted as he simultaneously rubbed his eyes. "That smells good, Mai."

"Arigatou. I hope it tastes as good as it smells." I set their plates on the table and gave Megumi her bottle. She still had trouble holding it, so I had to help her. "You guys mind finishing breakfast without me? I want to show Megumi around the neighbor."

"Sure, Mai." Bou-san said. "We'll be here the whole time. And if Naru shows up..."

"Don't do anything if Naru shows up. (It's not like you could, anyway.)"

Everyone laughed because of the face he made when he heard that last part. When Megumi was done eating, I took her out of the highchair and carried her out of the apartment.

* * *

If memory serves, I got my driver's license last year. If I had a car, I could've taken Megumi to all my favorite places around Tokyo, and even places she might've enjoyed. Going to the park was just as fun. Seeing her face when we got there was a Kodak moment. Her eyes wandered on the children playing in on the playground, venturing through the play structure and causing mischief for other kids their age.

"Mommy used to play here when she was younger, Megumi-chan," I told her. "When you're older, you'll be able to play with kids your age, ok?" She stared at me and gave me that cute little smile of hers.

We sat on the bench for awhile, continuing to watch the other children play. Megumi suddenly started pouting and struggled to get out of my arms. "What is it, baby?" She cried out and held out her hands. It was obvious she was calling out to somebody. I looked up to see why she was acting so squeamish. "Naru." Of course it was Naru. It's always Naru. He always knows where I am. I was very surprised when he showed up at the park, but I was very irritated when some of the female passersby were staring at him.

"Hi," I said timidly. I couldn't see his expression, mostly because my head was down, but I knew it was impassive. I could feel him lift Megumi from my arms as she squealed, jovial.

"We need to talk, Mai."

"I know." That was probably one of the only things we could agree on; at least our relationship was improving. And we both knew what the topic was about, but we didn't know who was going to start. When I looked up, I saw Naru's traditional mask, like I predicted. I patted the empty space next to me on the bench, motioning for him to sit. He complied. There was a few seconds of silence, until I began, saying, "Look, about yesterday, I just want to say-"

"Mai, I know you're going to apologize. I was about to do the same," he beat me to the punch, once again. "If we're going to get married, we shouldn't be fighting about trivial things all the time."

_Trivial? As in your brother's death?_

"I know. I really want this to work, too. So let's just..." Naru decided to interrupt me by kissing me. Though I did enjoy his succulent lips, I couldn't help but be peeved at him for not letting me have a say in this.

When he pulled back, I immediately shot up from my spot on the bench and said, "Don't think that will get you off the hook, Mister! You're going to explain to me why you were acting like such a jerk yesterday!"

He and Megumi stared at me as I fumed. Naru sighed before answering me. "Mai, calm down. I wasn't planning on keeping my feelings a secret."

_We all know that's a lie._

"I was upset because Gene didn't tell me anything. We were brothers, Mai. Twins. Even without using our powers, we still told each other everything. It made me angry finding out this information now that he's..." For a moment, I thought he was going to lose it, but then he continued. "In the apartment, I was filled with so many emotions. If I stayed any longer, I could've had lost control, and I didn't want to hurt you, Mai. Now again."

That broke my heart. It all made sense, now. I knew Naru was never one to share how he felt, but I could understand why he was so mad at Gene. I couldn't stay mad at him. I sat down beside him again and hugged him gently. "You know I'll always be here to listen, ne? If you're mad or upset or anything, you can always tell me."

He put his hand on the back of my hand and kissed my forehead. "Thank you, Mai."

"You're welcome."

"We still need find a way to stop these senseless arguments."

"I know, but we can work on that later."

We continued to sit there, enjoying the peace of the rest of the morning.

* * *

We went back to my apartment after a few minutes and gathered the rest of my forgotten things from the day before. I was glad we remembered because we still had to claim our house before it was too late. We still had to break the news to everyone else about our engagement, also.

"YOU'RE WHAT!" Ayako and Bou-san yelled.

"Yep, we're getting married." I said nervously. We were in the kitchen when we were announcing it. Naru was standing behind me, leaning against my counter top and I was sitting at the kitchen table. John was sitting next to me while I let him hold Megumi, and the other two goobers were gawking at me at the other side of the table.

"When did this happen?" Bou-san demanded, turning on his big brother mode.

"At the air port in England." I answered.

"If you're engaged, where's the ring?" Ayako said.

"I put it away. I don't want anything to happen to it."

They both sighed. "You just love giving me heart attacks, don't you, Mai?" Bou-san said leaning back in his chair. "I mean, seriously. You just decide to tell us all of this when we're caught off guard. You trying to kill me or something?"

"Stop whining you old man." Ayako slapped the back of his head. He scowled at her. "I'm happy for you Mai, but this is so sudden. Are you sure about this?"

I nodded. "That's why I wanted to tell you. I want you guys to be a part of our wedding." I turned to John. "What do you say, John? Would you like to marry me and Naru?"

"I'd be honored, Mai." he said.

"Hold on a second! I still don't understand this." Bou-san spoke out.

"We're getting married, Takigawa. How many times do we have to repeat ourselves?" Naru said.

Bou-san snarled. "That's not what I meant, you bastard." I covered Megumi's ears. I think he forgot there was an infant with us. "Why are you suddenly getting married? You're not even 18 yet, Mai." That was true, but I was turning 18 in July. Was this still legal?

"We're still allowed to wed." Naru said. "We just need to sign the paperwork, and then Mai and I will be legally married." I was glad Naru was reliable.

"I'm still not sure."

"Your opinion doesn't determine whether or not we get married."

"I never said it did."

"Both of you stop it!" Ayako barked at them. "This is a shock to all of us, so let's just do this: Mai and Naru will do what they think is right and we'll just see it through." She suddenly turned to me. "Good luck to you, Mai." Then she walked over and bent down to me. "And good luck breaking the news to Masako."

I froze. I totally forgot about Masako. She was going to kill me once she found out that Naru, the guy we both were competing for, was getting married to _me_. I feared what she was going to do once I told her. If I told her. Now that was a smart plan.

I stood up from the table. "I'll be right back." I said rather quickly. I walked into my room, grabbed the nearest pillow on my bed and screamed into it. This was so surreal. Naru and I were getting married.

I was getting married to _the_ most narcisisstic man on the earth.

"Thank you Kami." I said.

"Mai," I heard said narcissist came into my room. "Are you ok?"

"I'm just trying to get a grip on reality."

He chuckled. "Still can't believe you're marrying someone as handsome as me, huh?"

I scoffed. "Maybe," I walked up to him and put my arms around his neck. "Do you think I should worried about Masako, though?"

He smiled at me. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

"I hope so." I pulled him down and kissed him. He continued to egg me on.

I couldn't wait to get married to this man.

* * *

Hey, everyone! This chapter also took a very long time. I'm sorry about that. I hope you liked the special (tell me if you guessed what has happened between Madoka and Lin). Oh, and I'm not so sure whether Naru and Mai's marriage is generally legal, but I don't want them to wait until Mai's birthday to get married so it is legal in this story! But it's almost over! The next chapter is the wedding!

_**R&R!**_


	29. The Wedding

And now, here's the moment you all have been waiting for...

ENJOY!

* * *

**Ch. 28 The Wedding**

April 14th.

This was it...

This was the moment I was dreaming of the moment I met him...

And I was scared out of my wits.

"Mai, you'll be fine!" Madoka assured me, but I wish I had more reassurance. My hands were clawing the bottom of my chair and I didn't have a mirror, but I knew the sweat running down my forehead was ruining my makeup.

If only my mom was here; she always knew what to say. Of course, if she was here, she would be too busy prying my dad off of Naru. I was sure they would both be happy for me, but doubt was itching at the back of my head. Did all brides feel this way?

"Calm down, Mai," she said again. "I know you're nervous, but all soon-to-be couples always start out this way."

"I bet Naru doesn't feel this way," I murmured.

She laughed. "I doubt that. Lin's giving him the same pep talk right now." I could just laugh at the thought of Naru being nervous about anything, even on our wedding day. It wasn't hard to believe either, though. After all, we still had to deal with Masako, and she was not happy with the news when we told her a few weeks back. I wondered what she would do, knowing that her rival and the man she loved were getting married. Would she blackmail Naru into divorcing me? Would she hire someone to murder me? Would she do the dirty work herself? Of course she didn't do any of that stuff up to the wedding day, but she was still fuming with rage, on the inside.

Walking that aisle would probably be the most awkward moment of my life. But it wasn't.

We wanted the wedding to be small so we decided for it to be traditional and rented a private area for us to wed (Madoka made the arrangements, of course). I couldn't wait to see it for myself once I walked down that aisle.

I also felt lucky today. I was wearing my mom's wedding kimono. She and dad had a traditional wedding, too, and she told I could have her dress when it was my wedding day. I hoped it was okay to wear it early.

I suddenly froze. I could hear the music playing in the background. Naru was already walking down the aisle by now. I bet he looked handsome. I wasn't able to see him since Madoka made me stay over her and Lin's place because me and Naru weren't allowed to see each other before the wedding. I hoped I didn't look stupid walking in the wooden sandals. If I did do anything embarrassing, luckily I had a veil covering my face.

"You guys ready yet?" Ayako entered the room wearing a very nice, red dress.

"Ah..."

"Don't think twice about it, Mai. Come on!" Madoka yanked me out of my chair and brought me outside. I was in the back where no one could see me but I could still see everyone else. The only people that were at our wedding were Bou-san, who was holding Megumi, Ayako, Lin, Madoka, Masako (which surprised me), and John, who was going to marry us. Naru and John were already at the small alter, which was in front of a beautiful lake. Madoka really did a good job arranging our wedding. Even though there weren't a lot of people, I was still scared.

"Everyone's waiting, Mai," Madoka crept up behind me.

"I know, but-"

"Here," she handed me a bouquet of lillies that matched my wedding kimono. "You'll do fine. Start walking when I cue the music, ok?" I nodded slightly, which was her cue to leave. As soon as she left, the music started playing (Madoka hired someone to play a violin for the wedding ceremony. Who knew she had this much power, and money?).

I relaxed when I walked down the aisle. I didn't care about how clumsy I was when I was walking or whether I looked ridulous or not. I was only concentrating on the man before me: my husband-to-be. Getting to the alter was faster than I thought, though. Before I knew it, I was already in front of that handsome man. He looked so stunning wearing a navy-blue kimono. I couldn't help but stare at him. That was all I did during the ceremony.

"You look beautiful," he whispered to me, which broke me out of my trance.

"I must be dreaming," I said. He raised an eyebrow, as if I was crazy. "We're getting married, right now. It's still hard to believe; it feels like a fantasy. Plus, you just gave me a compliment."

He closed his eyes and smirked. "Wait until we say our vows."

I inwardly groaned. He would probably say something embarassing.

"It's time for the vows," John finally said. Bou-san gave Megumi to Ayako as he brought out the rings. Naru and I took each other's, faced one another, and prepared what we were about to say to each other. I thought my vows were going to be corny, so I was glad when Naru went first. But his vows weren't exactly poetry:

"Mai, I must admit, when I first laid my eyes on you, I thought you had a foolish demeanor: Your guilitibility, your work effort, and your clumsiness were almost intolerable. But, over time, I have learned to love those qualities, and I wouldn't want you any other way. I hope our future together will be infinite, and I hope you can love my fallible attributes, as well." Like I said, it wasn't really poetry, but it was still sweet. Naru had never sounded so romantic. After his vow, he put the ring on my finger.

Now it was my turn:

"Naru, I... well, I don't know how to describe how I feel but..." I liked down at my hands, summing up how I really felt. I could feel the tension on me as I continued to speak. "I want you to trust me, more than anything. I know a few of my choices have been led by... an unanimous motivation, but I want you to know that my choices were fully reflected by my thoughts. I really want to spend the rest of my life with you, Naru, and I hope you will trust me more in the future, and beyond then."

I looked up to see Naru's reaction. I could see a small tear falling out of the corner of his eye and a sincere smile on his face. I loved this man. He leaned in closer to me and gingerly whispered, "Thank you, Mai." He spoke in perfect English, but I could still understand him. I put his ring on after.

"Shibuya Kazuya," John addressed him. "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, through sickness and health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," he replied without hesitation.

"And Taniyama Mai, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, through sickness and health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," I had been waiting to say those words for the longest time, it was still incredible I was saying them now.

"Now, before I unite this couple, does anyone object to why these two should not wed?" I saw Madoka glaring at everyone; if looks could kill, no doubt anyone who objected our marriage would drop dead. I was pretty sure Bou-san was ready to get up, too. Masako sat still, looking a bit intimidated by the pregnant woman's stare. When no one said anything, John continued, "Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

_FINALLY!_

Naru pulled over my veil and leaned down to kiss me. I happily complied. Everybody cheered as soon as our lips touched. When we pulled back, I released my tears. Naru wiped them away and put his hand in my cheek. "You still don't believe it?" he asked.

I shook my head. He kissed me again, only more passionately. "Okay, _now_ I believe it."

He held out his arm and I took it, gladly. He led me down the aisle, as everyone applauded, except for Bou-san (and Masako), who just gave me a thumbs up. Suddenly, Maru and I were separated from each other. Naru was with the guys and I was confronted by Masako, the one person I didn't want to see that day. Her face was impassive, so I was afraid of what she was going to say, or do. Madoka and Ayako were standing by in case there was trouble. I knew there was going to be fight on my wedding day. Naru is my husband, after all...

For awhile, Masako gave me that sly smirk of hers, but then she said, "Looks like you win, Mai. Naru's just too good for me."

"Wait a minute, this wasn't a game!"

She laughed. "You take everything too seriously, Mai, as always. But, you have good judgement. I guess that's why Naru picked you, ne?" She handed me a small box. "Best wishes to you both." Then she left.

That was all? I expected more from Masako, not that I was ungrateful that she didn't kill.

I stared at the box. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a bomb in it. I slowly opened it. Inside was...

_Lingerie!_

The Masako I knew was never known to be so naughty, but the gift she gave me-I never knew she could be so _flamboyant_.

"What's that?" Ayako asked. She and Madoka were suddenly behind me.

"N-Nothing!" I quickly hid Masako's gift behind my back. "It's nothing."

Madoka was not fooled. "What did she say to you?"

"She wished me and Naru good luck, surprisingly. I thought she was going to kill me, but instead... She seems okay with me and Naru's marriage."

"That's strange," Ayako speculated, propping a fist under her chin. "Masako was never one to give up, but she has enough reverence to quit while she's ahead. But I'm surprised she didn't at least try to do _something_."

"Ayako!"

"What? It's true."

I turned to Madoka. "So, when is you and Lin's wedding?"

"We haven't figured out a date, but we want to get married as soon as possible because, you know..." I looked at her stomach, which was barely noticeable. "One married, another with a wedding on the way, now all we have to do it hook up those two." She pointed to Ayako and Bou-san.

"Me, with that monk? Yeah right."

"You're not a real catch yourself." Bou-san rebutted. He was no longer holding Megumi, but I was relieved to see her in Naru's arms.

"Please, you'd be lucky to get a date with a beautiful woman like me."

"You mean I'd be unlucky to get a date with an old, ugly hag like you."

It wasn't long before they started fighting.

"Unbelievable," Naru said as he came over to watch the fight with us. "You'd think those two would learn."

"I don't think they'll ever get over themselves." I laughed. Then I turned to Naru. He also held a smile on his face, but it seemed to be more amused than happy. I was glad he was having fun, though.

"I think it's time you both leave." Madoka was suddenly behind both of us. "I'll take her," she said as she took Megumi out of Naru's arms. "And you two go and have yourselves a wild honeymoon!" She pushed us towards a white limo that was parked in the back, waiting to take us to our honeymoon location. I was utterly impressed Madoka could afford to do something this nice for us. She did enough preparing for everything else, and now; I felt like tearing up again.

Naru grabbed my hand and led me to the limo, which I was glad he did because the tears I held back were blinding me. As soon as we were in the car, everybody (except for Masako) came up to us and gave their final congrats. The last ones to come up to us were Lin, who was now holding Megumi, and Madoka, who was latched to his other arm.

"Have fun!" she said. "And don't worry, we'll take good care of Megumi."

"Arigatou!" I waved at Megumi. "I'll see you soon, Megumi-chan."

Lin just nodded. Naru nodded back. After we said goodbye, Naru told the driver to take us to our location.

I leaned on his shoulder, emotionally relieved. We were finally married, I speculated once again. And now we were finally alone.

"You didn't throw your bouquet." Naru told me at the last minute.

I looked at the pile of lilies on my lap. "Oh well. I'll keep them as a memory."

"It won't be a very durable memory. The flowers will wither, eventually."

I groaned. "You just love ruining nice moments for me, ne?"

"Don't worry, Mai." Naru took my chin with his index finger and put his face close to mine. "I'll make tonight worth your while; you'll forget about all of the cruel, and somewhat funny times I made fun of you." I blushed at the thought of me and Naru having a "wild honeymoon", as Madoka put it; hearing Naru say it to me right then made me want to faint from exhilaration. "You're completely flushed." he said.

I quickly covered a face. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Hot skin...

Tender lips...

Sweet kisses...

That was what the first night of our honeymoon was like. It was the second time we had sex, but the first time we had a real connection to each other (not like when Gene was possessing Naru). The way Naru passionately held me, the way his lips tenderly felt my skin, how he slowly, lovingly entered me; these were his real feelings, and it was ecstasy to me. I would never forget tonight.

"What did I tell you?" he said. He rapped his arms around my bare body and held me close to his chest. I said nothing as I caught my breath and put the covers over us.

"The famous Dr. Davis is never wrong," I said, breathlessly.

"By the way, where did you get that lacy dress from?"

I paused. "Would you believe me if I told you Masako gave it to me as a wedding present?" He didn't say anything. "Did you like it?" He shook his head.

"I _loved_ it."

I smiled and kissed him one last time. "That reminds me, I need to call Madoka and thank her for arranging this. The wedding, the limo, the first class tickets to Paris..."

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" I nodded.

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you, too."

I looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was almost midnight. Who knew romantic intercourse was so tiring?

As I drifted off to sleep, I could feel Naru's hands move the bangs out of my face. "Goodnight, Shibuya Mai."

* * *

It's finally done! The second to last chapter is finished! I'm sorry for those who wanted more lemon, but I'm not too good at that. Plus, I didn't want it to be too fluffy.

Epilogue is next!

_**R&R!**_


	30. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Waking up in the morning was nice. I had a feeling today was going to be a good day:

July 3rd.

It was my birthday. Naru said he had something planned for me when the day came, and I also had news for him. I just found out the other day, and I was very happy. I couldn't wait to see his reaction once I told him.

The scent of pancakes suddenly filled the room. I got out of bed and went into the kitchen to see that my husband and my little girl were waiting at the table for me with a plate piled with pancakes covered in whipped cream and a lit candle on top.

"Happy Birthday, Okaa-san!" Megumi cried. She ran up to me and I gave her a hug.

"Arigatou, Megumi-chan." I picked her up and kissed her cheek.

"Good morning, Mai," Naru greeted me. "Happy Birthday."

He gave me a kiss and I returned it. "Arigatou, Naru-chan."

"Otou-san and I made you pancakes!" Megumi said, jumping out of my arms and gesturing to the freshly made pancakes.

"I see." I released her and she immediately ran back to the table where the warm, fluffy pancakes were waiting to be consumed.

Megumi was a wonder. She was very mature for her age, but she still acted like a child around us. Naru made sure she was prompt, but I made sure she wasn't too much of a killjoy like her father. She was also a very jovial girl. She enjoyed simple things like art; she was our little Monet. Naru also treasured her dearly, which made her Daddy's little girl. But he became a bit too over-protective. For example, when she asked for ballet lesson, Naru also made her take karate classes.

"They both teach her balance and control, which will later help her control her powers. She might as well learn them both at the same time." That was his excuse, but I knew the real reason. Even though she was only four years old, he was still worried about boys. She was a pretty little girl; once she becomes a teenager, it would be a whole different story.

"I love the pancakes, you guys," I said. Megumi smiled at that and continued to eat her pancakes.

"We have more planned for you," Naru said.

"I can't wait."

"YAY!" Megumi jumped in her chair. Her face was a ridiculous mess of whipped cream and maple syrup. I giggled and wiped the mess off her face.

"Go to your room and get dressed," Naru told her. Megumi followed her father's orders and left.

"Are we going somewhere?" I asked.

Naru put his finger on his lips. "It's a surprise." He handed me a bag. "Now go get dressed." He kissed my cheek before he also retreated from the kitchen. I was going to have to tell him my surprise later.

* * *

"Now, open your eyes."

When Naru removed his hands, my eyes opened to see a beautiful field. It was full of flowers and there was a lake further ahead. This was the place Naru planned for us to have a picnic. I was speechless. "Naru, it's..."

"I know. Do you like it?"

I didn't need to answer. I put my arms around his neck and kissed him wholeheartedly. "Thank you," I said in English. Naru smiled. Then we remembered Megumi was behind us. We looked at her but she only gave us a smile. "Come on. Let's go."

We walked down the hill to the field with Megumi running ahead of us. "Megumi, slow down or you'll fall."

"Hai!"

Naru and I setup the blanket and Megumi put down the picnic basket when we were done. In the basket, the only thing I could see was a huge cake. It said "Happy Birthday Mai" on the top. "Everything looks good. Who made the cake?"

"Auntie Ayako and Auntie Madoka," Megumi answered. "And I helped!"

"Then I'm sure it's delicious."

The food was excellent, but I enjoyed the view even more. The dazzling flowers, the glistening lake, and Megumi eating her cake. She absolutely loved sweets, and she couldn't get enough of them. She only had one piece of cake, but she was already on the move. She was near the lake, so Naru and I decided to spend some time to ourselves. We laid back on the blanket and held hands. This was probably a good time to tell him. But Naru was distracting me from telling him the news. He pecked kisses on my neck, which tickled.

"Naru! Stop-haha-!" I crushed my lips against his to stop him. I stopped to say, "You're acting unusually sweet today."

"It's your birthday, Mai. Should I not treat you this way?"

I blushed. "Oh, Naru. I have something to te-"

Megumi suddenly came back and jumped on us. She giggled uncontrollably, which became contagious. We all started laughing; what a sweet family moment.

_This scene seems awfully familiar._

"You have so much energy, Megumi-chan," I said brushing off some of the grass that was on her dress. Then I whispered in her ear, "Stay here for awhile so I can talk to Daddy about something important, okay?"

"Hai!" She stayed put, eating one of the sandwiches Naru gave to her.

I took Naru's hand and led him a little farther away from the picnic. I stopped in front of the lake and held both of his hands. "Naru, I want to tell you something."

"What is it?" he asked. I could see the anticipation on his face.

"I..." I hesitated for a while. His reaction was very important to me, but I was still afraid. I had to tell him eventually, though. "I'm..."

"You're what?"

"I'm pregnant."

Naru's face was impassive at first, which made me fear what he was thinking even more. I held my head down and continued, "I found out yesterday, and I thought today would be a good time to tell you. Please don't be mad-" He suddenly cupped my face and kissed me intensely. "N-Naru!"

"I'm not mad, idiot. I'm very happy you told me." He hugged me tightly. "I love you, Mai."

I hugged him back. "I love you, too."

I knew today was going to be a good day. Now our lives were going to get even better.

I knew from the beginning our love wasn't a mistake.

**The End?**


End file.
